The Girl Who Cried Wolf
by SquirrelWho
Summary: When the Master captures Rose after escaping the time lock to wind up in the parallel universe, he realizes she's been keeping a secret that involves her child and the 11th Doctor. A secret that he intends to turn against his oldest enemy. Will the Doctor be able to save Rose and his child before it's too late? Suggestive adult themes.
1. Everything Changes

**Adult content in the first chapter, nothing graphic, but there it is.**

**The first couple chapters will be rehashing some scenes from the show in order to establish the relationship between Rose and the Doctor because, come on, you know he was asking if she was pregnant for a reason. **

**Thank you to all my brilliant readers and if you have time reviews are always welcome! :)**

* * *

A hollow feeling settled inside of Rose as her dad walked away. She couldn't move. She could barely breathe. She'd lost him three times. Once when she was little and her mum told her about the accident. She'd been too young to really understand, but his absence left a hole inside of her. Then the Doctor agreed to take her to see him on father's day. She watched him die, unable to be there for him like she intended. No one should die alone, least of all her dad. So, they'd gone back and she saved him only to have to watch him die again. She'd been there for him that time, but it tore her heart. Now, she finally had him back. She knew he was a parallel version, but he was the same man. Her dad, but he walked away, rejected her and at that moment she felt like someone had ripped her heart out.

Vaguely she heard Mickey and the Doctor talking, but she was still reeling from what just happened with her dad and she couldn't focus on anything else.

"Off we go then," the Doctor said, his words barely cutting through her pain.

_Go. _Yes, they should go. She didn't want to stay there any longer. Too much had happened. She needed to leave the memories and pain behind.

"Uh… thing is, I'm staying," Mickey said.

_What? _

"You're doing what?" the Doctor asked in shock.

_No. He can't do this to me. _She couldn't believe what he was saying.

"You can't," she said, barely above a whisper.

"It sort of balances out, 'cos this world lost its Ricky. But there's me. And there's work to be done with all those Cybermen still out there," Mickey explained in a wavering voice.

She didn't care about any of that. He couldn't leave her. She'd just lost her dad again and her mum. She knew Jackie from this universe wasn't really her mum, but she was as much her mum as Pete was her dad.

"But you can't stay."

She was losing everyone. Everyone!

"Rose, my gran's here. She's still alive. My old gran. Remember her?"

She remembered his gran and how much he loved her. When she died he was left alone. Rose was there and her mum, but his family was gone.

"Yeah," she said, trying to keep her voice steady, but failing.

"She needs me."

"What about me? What if I need you?"

"Yeah, but Rose, you don't," he said, looking away before glancing at the Doctor. "It's just you and him isn't it?"

Rose glanced up, unable to answer his question. She knew Mickey could tell how she felt about the Doctor. Mickey had been her boyfriend and she'd never told him otherwise, but when Sarah Jane suggested he come along Rose hadn't wanted him to. She knew it was wrong that she hadn't told Mickey that her feelings changed. That she was in love with the Doctor, but that was a secret she was keeping tucked away because she didn't know how the Time Lord felt about her and she was afraid if she voiced her feelings he might take her home and she couldn't lose him.

"We had something a long time ago, but…not anymore," Mickey continued.

"Well, we'll come back. We can travel anywhere, come and see you, yeah?"

She looked at the Doctor for confirmation.

"We can't," the Doctor said. _What? No, but…please don't say that!_ "I told you, travel between parallel worlds is impossible. We only got here by accident. We-we fell through a crack in time. When we leave... I've got to close it. We can't ever return."

_Everyone. I'm losing everyone. _Her heart broke. Mickey had been such a huge part of her life, ever since they were kids and now she was going to lose him. He was leaving her. She'd be…alone.

* * *

The Doctor set his suit on the jump seat and began readying the TARDIS for flight. Rose was saying her final goodbyes to Mickey. He knew she was hurting, worse than hurting. He'd seen the look in her eyes when Pete walked away and then after Mickey said he was staying behind… He knew what she needed though.

He didn't do domestic. Never did domestic. Until he met her. Rose was all about domestic. She needed her friends and her family. So, even though he claimed to not do domestic he took her back, making sure she never went more than a few weeks without seeing her mum and Mickey because he would do domestic for her. He'd never admit that though. Would always grumble about the fact that he didn't do it, more so in his previous regeneration, but for her he would do anything.

He knew that from the first day he met her because even though he'd only known her for a day, less than a day, he'd done something he never did before. He went back. She told him she wouldn't go with him and he'd gone back to ask her again. From the moment he took her hand in the basement of that department store he felt a connection to her. As if her hand was always met to be in his.

When he regenerated he'd been afraid that feeling would pass. He knew he'd still care about her because she would be the first person he saw, but he was afraid he wouldn't feel the same connection to her, but that feeling didn't leave him. If anything it grew stronger. He regenerated into a new man, a better man, the man she helped him become.

He set the coordinates to take them to the flat Rose shared with her mum. She needed her family. She needed to know she wasn't alone. He knew what she was feeling better than anyone. Rose was the only person who took that feeling away from him and right now she needed him to make sure she knew she wasn't alone.

He heard the TARDIS door open as the time rotor began to move. He heard her tears before he saw them. She leaned her back against the closed door and slid to the floor, broken.

He ran to her, bending down in front of her.

"I'm sorry, Rose. I'm so sorry," he said.

"It's not fair," she cried.

He sat down on his knees and wrapped his arms around her, holding her to let her know that he was there. Her arms slid around his waist and she buried her face in his chest.

"I know, Rose. I know," he soothed, stroking her hair.

"I hate p-parallel worlds."

She cried for a few minutes more before she was able to gain control of herself. When he felt her calm he pulled away enough to look into her eyes.

"Are you alright?"

_Stupid question. _He was sorry the moment he asked, but she just nodded.

"Where are we going?" she asked, glancing at the moving time rotor.

"It's a surprise."

"I don't feel much like surprises right now."

"You'll like this one. Promise. We better change though," he said, helping her up. "Come on. I'll walk you to your room."

She didn't reply, so he took her hand and led her though the control room, pausing to grab his suit before leading her down the hall. They came to her room first, but when she made no move to open it he turned the handle and gave the door a push then led her inside. He dropped her hand, but she just stood there looking lost. He couldn't leave her like that. He tossed his suit on her bed and pulled her into another hug.

"It'll be okay, Rose," he said.

"Why?" she asked into his shoulder.

"Why what?"

"Why did I have to lose everyone?"

Both of his hearts dropped. Was that how she felt? He pulled back a little and cradled her cheeks in his hands so that she would look into his eyes.

"You haven't lost everyone."

"I lost my dad and my mum and now Mickey."

"Rose, that wasn't your mum. That was a parallel version of Jackie. I told you that. Your mum is fine."

"Yeah, b-but it still felt l-like I lost her."

"But you didn't. I'm taking you to see her."

"Is…is that where we're going?"

"Yes."

"Was that the surprise?"

"Yes, and now you've gone and ruined it," he said, giving her a smile to let her know he was teasing.

He brushed her tears away with his thumbs. His hearts felt lighter as he watched the weight in her eyes lift.

"Thank you," she exclaimed as her hands encircled his neck, giving him that oh so Rose smile.

"I know what it's like to lose people."

"You've still got me," she said.

Yes, he did have her, but he knew he wouldn't have her forever. Eventually he'd lose her, which is what made him keep her at a distance. Well, not too much of a distance, but there was a line he couldn't cross, even though he really wanted to cross it and sometimes it was nearly impossible to keep himself from crossing it, especially when they were close like they were right now. He started to pull away, realizing how dangerous it was for him to be so close to her, especially in her bedroom when Rose did something she'd never done before. With her hands locked behind his neck she pulled him down and in the next moment his lips were pressed against hers.

* * *

Rose knew it was probably a bad idea, but at that moment she didn't care. She'd been through so much that day and she felt so alone. She needed to be close to someone, well, actually him, the Doctor, she needed to be close to him. If Mickey was there then maybe things would be different, but he wasn't. Mickey was gone and she'd never see him again.

There was a spark between them. That spark that came whenever they were this close and she knew he'd pull back, like he always did, but she couldn't let him this time. She needed him. So, she pulled him down before he could get away. The moment his lips touched hers she felt him stiffen and she thought he was going to pull away. She hoped he wouldn't because she wasn't sure if she could handle him rejecting her on top of everything else she'd gone through, but then he began to return her kiss and in the next moment his hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her close.

Although his skin was cooler than hers, she felt the heat of his lips as he deepened the kiss. She wound her hands through his hair knowing she had destroyed the line between them, a line they could never go back to, but she didn't care. A burning passion rose within her. His hands laced over her shoulders and he pulled her closer as if he was trying to fill the distance he'd always kept between them.

She knew this was something they could never come back from, but she was unable to stop herself from pulling his tie loose and tossing it to the floor. She realized he must have taken his jacket off earlier as she began to unbutton his shirt. His hands found the zipper to the maid's uniform she was still wearing. The feel of his hands on her bare skin made her body tingle. He pulled her to the bed, never once breaking contact with her. Her heart pounded in excitement. She had waited so long for this moment and now it was here. Before she could ponder that further he pulled her down onto the bed.

* * *

He was aware that he was lying down. _Must have fallen asleep. _He didn't sleep very often, maybe eight hours a week, at the most. He felt movement next to him, something brushed his side. His eyes snapped open and he turned his head, slightly. _Rose. _Her arm was around his waist, her cheek resting against his chest. She was snuggled up next to him, not a stitch of clothing separating them.

Then the memories came, in vivid detail thanks to his photographic memory. He had done…oh, he had done what he swore he'd never do. Not with her because he knew what would happen, what had happened. Any other woman. Any other woman in the entire universe, but he'd been with her. The only woman that he knew he couldn't…shouldn't, but he had and now. Now it was too late. He could feel it. Why? Why had he done it? But he knew. He'd been with her for the same reason he shouldn't have, because he was in love with her. No, it was more than love. He'd been in love before, but those feelings were nothing compared to what he felt for this beautiful girl. His golden angel.

What was it about her that captivated him so much? Yes, she was beautiful, but that wasn't it. She made him laugh. That was part of it, but not the whole. Two words whispered through his mind, but he didn't believe in such things. Although, he tucked a stray lock of golden hair behind her hear, gently brushing his thumb across her cheek, watching her sleep so peacefully in his arms filled him with a contentment that he hadn't felt in a very long time. Maybe never. As those two words whispered through his mind again he thought that maybe they were true, with her he could believe in such things. _Soul mate. _She understood him like no one else had. She knew when he was hurting and with one touch she could stop the pain. Her smile brushed both of his hearts, bringing a smile to his lips. She stopped him from losing control, bringing him back from the edge.

It was all of that and more. She gave him something that he never thought he'd have again. Home. That's how she made him feel. As if he was home.

That's why he always stopped them, stopped himself, before crossing that line because he knew if he did with her then it would hurt so much more if something happened, but now it was too late. He'd crossed that line and there was no going back. He didn't have the strength to do that and he wouldn't do that to her. He knew how she felt, had known for a long time, even back before he regenerated, which was why he always made sure they never went that one step too far, but last night when he'd been about to pull away he felt her fear of rejection, of his rejection and he couldn't do that to her. Not after everything she'd been through and so he allowed her to pull him over that line.

Her eyes fluttered open. Then she looked up at him.

"Hi," she said, giving him that smile she reserved only for him, which made him beam.

"Hello," he said.

"Morning."

He could hear uncertainty in her voice. He could sense that she was worried about what they had done. Worried things would change between them. Worried that he would be different with her, maybe even leave her behind with her mum. He would never do that, couldn't even if he wanted to, which he didn't. She was too much a part of him. He was pretty sure it would kill him to go on without her.

"Morning. We should probably get dressed and grab some breakfast. We'll be at your mum's flat soon and you know what that means."

"What?"

"We won't be around anything edible until we leave."

She slapped his chest.

"Oi, that's my mum you're talking about."

"I know. I've had your cooking," he said, with a wink and then jumped out of the bed before she could slap him again.

He laughed at the indignant look on her face, which made her laugh, even though he could tell she was trying really hard not to. He felt the uncertainty leave her mind. Even though everything had changed they were still the same. They were still brilliant together.


	2. Never Say Never Ever

**This is a bit more rehashing, okay a lot, but the few chapters are original. This is just to establish internal thoughts if there was a "relationship" between them.**

* * *

Rose and the Doctor walked down the dark street, her hand in his, something that had been natural for them from the first moment he met her. They enjoyed the closeness of each other as fireworks went off in the distance.

"You know what?" Rose asked. He turned to her. "They keep trying to split us up, but they never, ever will."

An uneasiness settled over him.

"Never say _never ever_," he said.

She glanced up at the fireworks.

"Nah, we'll always be okay, you and me." The uneasy feeling inside of him grew. He traced her timeline, something he'd been doing since that beast in the pit. "Don't you reckon, Doctor?"

He'd been trying to put as much distance and time between them and that black hole since the beast that called itself the devil spoke of her death. It wasn't the devil of course. Couldn't be. The Doctor didn't believe in such things, but it had known about him, about what he had done, which could be explained telepathically, only there was something in the way it said how she would die. He tried to shake the feeling, but the fear was there, in the back of his mind and so he kept a careful watch on her timeline because he couldn't lose her. It would have been hard enough before, but now…now that things had changed, now that he'd crossed that line, he didn't think he would be able to survive losing her.

"Something in the air. Something coming," he said, more to himself.

"What?" she asked, barely above a whisper.

Her timeline was shifting. He could feel it. Nothing had happened yet, but he could sense that something was about to change.

"A storm's approaching."

He felt Rose tense up at his words, but that feeling was secondary to the fear that gripped both of his hearts. He had to keep her safe. He had to stop her timeline from shifting.

* * *

The Doctor stared at the monitor from the TARDIS console. The moment he saw the soldiers his hearts dropped. The words of the beast returned. _The valiant child who will die in battle so very soon. _Her timeline was still shifting. He couldn't let her see the fear he felt.

For the first time he was glad Jackie was there. She wouldn't let Rose put herself in danger.

"Oh, well there goes the advantage of surprise. Still! Cuts to the chase," the Doctor said, turning to walk to the door. "Stay in here, look after Jackie."

Rose followed him.

"I'm not looking after my mum," she protested.

"Well, you brought her," he replied, glancing over his shoulder.

"I was kidnapped," Jackie complained, trailing them to the door.

Swiftly, Rose positioned herself in front of the door. Blocking the Doctor's exit.

"Doctor, they've got guns," Rose said in a low warning.

He knew she was trying to protect him. That's what she did, but he had to sort out the ghosts and keep her safe at the same time.

"And I haven't," he replied, catching her around the waist and gently moving her out of the way. "Which makes me the better person, don't you think? They can shoot me dead, but the moral high-ground is mine."

He opened the door and stepped outside. The group of soldiers aimed their weapons at him, cocking them. He put his arms up, hoping Jackie would keep Rose inside.

A woman ran into the room through the open doorway. She wove around the soldiers to stand in front of the Doctor.

"Oh! Oh, how marvelous," she exclaimed excitedly. She began clapping. "Oh, very good! Superb! Happy Day!"

The soldiers began clapping with her.

The Doctor just stared at her. _Right, what's going on? _He lowered his arms, stunned, trying to work out exactly where this was going.

"Um…thanks," he said, uneasily. "Nice to meet you. I'm…the Doctor."

Everyone began clapping again.

"Oh, I should say. Hurrah!" the woman said, excitedly.

He looked around at the soldiers and then back to the woman, wondering if they were all mad or if there was something else going on. The whole scene was unsettling.

"You…you've heard of me then?"

"Well of course we have. And I have to say, if it wasn't for you, none of us would be here. The Doctor ANDthe TARDIS!" She began clapping again.

He smiled nervously. He still had no clue what was going on and he needed to work that out. He put his hands up to try to get them to stop clapping, putting a finger to his lips and when that didn't work he motioned for them to quiet down.

Once the room settled down he asked, "And…and…and you are?"

"Oh, plenty of time for that. But according to the records, you're not one for travelling alone. The Doctor and his companion. That's a pattern isn't it, right?"

He stared at her for a moment. There was obviously something strange going on with these people. With Rose's timeline still shifting there was no way he was going to let her anywhere near them.

"There's no point in hiding anything. Not from us," she said, taking on an almost cold, authoritative air. Then her attitude suddenly lightened. "So, where is she?"

They would never believe he was alone. He had to do something, but he wouldn't risk Rose. She had to remain safe inside the TARDIS until he worked out what was going on and solved it. _Jackie. _For the second time he was grateful that she'd tagged along.

He pulled on the mask that he wore so well, changing his entire demeanor into one of blissful cooperation.

"Yes! Sorry. Good point. She's just a bit shy, that's all." He reached through the TARDIS door without opening it all the way and felt around for Jackie. Then he pulled her out. "But here she is. Rose Tyler." He gave Jackie a once over, as if appraising her. "Hmm. She's NOTthe best I've ever had. Bit too blonde. Not too steady on her pins. A lot of that." He mimed chatting.

The woman laughed while Jackie shot him a glare that warned him there might be a slap in his near future, but he ignored her look. Slaps were bad, but there were far worse things for him to worry about at that moment.

"And just last week, she stared into the heart of the Time Vortex and aged fifty-seven years. But she'll do," he continued.

"I'm forty!" Jackie insisted.

"Deluded. Bless. I'll have to trade her in. Do you need anyone? She's very good at tea. Well, I say very good, I mean not bad. Well. I say not bad... anyway! Lead on. But not too fast. Her ankle's going," he said.

He could feel Jackie growing angrier by the second as she stood next to him, but he couldn't tell her that he was trying to keep that woman from finding out that he was hiding things. First and foremost of which was the fact that the real Rose Tyler was safely inside the TARDIS. He could put up with Jackie's wrath as long as Rose stayed where she was supposed to.

* * *

_A footprint doesn't look like a boot. _The ghosts were Cybermen, but the sphere was something else. Torchwood just had to go and poke that bloody tear in the universe. They didn't have any idea what it was, but, of course, they thought they could use it for their own benefit and now Cybermen were flooding from the parallel universe into this one, which was bad enough, but there was also that sphere and he had no idea what was inside of it. And where was Rose? Safely back in the TARDIS where he left her? No, she was down there with that bloody sphere and whatever came out of it. _Jeopardy friendly. _

He thumped his head against the wall. Her timeline wavered. She was in danger, probably more danger than she'd ever been in. _The valiant child who will die in battle so very soon._ No, he couldn't let that happen. He had to save her, but without knowing what threat she was facing he had no idea how he was going to do that.

"What's down there? She was in that room with the sphere. What's happened to Rose?" Jackie asked, fearfully.

"I don't know," the Doctor snapped.

He glanced at her as she started to cry. Feeling guilty for taking his frustration out on her, he crossed the room to stand next to her.

"I'll find her. I brought you here, I'll get you both out. You and your daughter. Jackie, look at me." When she didn't look up he repeated, "Look at me," with more insistence. She looked up. "I promise you. I give you my word." He tried to get her to see the truth of those words in his eyes. He would save them, both of them, no matter what it cost.

* * *

The Doctor watched the screen on the laptop intently. Two Cybermen had established a visual link after going out to investigate what came out of the sphere. He could see part of a room with an open doorway. A moment later a Dalek entered the room. The Doctor's hearts dropped as a hollow feeling settled in his chest.

"Identify yourselves," the Dalek ordered.

He wasn't sure what he expected, but this – Daleks – it was the worst thing that could've happened. _Rose. _He felt the surge of adrenalin as fear flooded into this mind. Was she already…No, he couldn't allow that thought to form. To take root.

"You will identify first," one of the Cybermen commanded.

"State your identity."

"You will identify first."

He had to save her. He had to get her out of there. He tried to see her timeline. He had to know if she was still alive. If there was still time, but he couldn't push the fear aside long enough to concentrate.

"Identify!" the Dalek insisted.

"Illogical, you will modify," the Cyberman ordered.

"Daleks do not take orders."

"You have identified as Daleks."

The Doctor was still wrestling with his emotions, trying to push them down long enough to trace her timeline.

"Rose said about the Daleks. She was terrified of them. What have they done to her, Doctor? Is she dead?" Jackie asked, fearfully.

He spun around, abruptly. One thought cutting through the fear in his mind.

"Phone," he insisted, through gritted teeth.

"What?"

"Phone!" he hissed again.

He had to know. Had to find out.

Jackie handed her phone over, making sure the Cybermen weren't paying attention. He snatched it and quickly dialed Rose's number. It rang once before someone picked up. He could hear the Daleks talking in the background, but he knew Rose must have been the one to answer. The Daleks wouldn't have and he could almost feel her presence on the other end.

"She's answered. She's alive," he whispered to Jackie, who let out a sigh of relief. "Why haven't they killed her?" The question was more to himself because he needed to know how long they were going to keep her alive. How long did he have to save her?

"Well, don't complain!" Jackie exclaimed, taking his question wrong.

"They must need her for something."

What? What would they need her for? How much longer would they keep her alive? He listened, hoping he could figure out the answers to those questions.

"We must protect the genesis ark," a Dalek said from the other end of the line.

"Genesis Ark?" the Doctor asked.

He turned to the laptop screen, pulling out the 3D glasses he kept in his top pocket. He slid the glasses on and looked at the Dalek on the screen. _Void stuff. _Just like the Cybermen.

He had to take care of the Cybermen and the Daleks, save Rose and Jackie, and everyone else. He began formulating a plan, but he knew he would have to get to Rose before he could act on it.

* * *

When the Doctor saw Pete at the parallel Torchwood after Jake teleported him through the Void his plan snapped together. He could save Jackie and Rose. His hearts weighed down with the realization of what it would cost him, but she would be alive. He'd kept his emotions in check, wearing the mask that hid them so well, but she was catching on, like she always did, and he knew he'd have to tell her.

"But it's... like you said, we've allgot Void stuff. Me too, 'cos we went to that parallel world," Rose said. And there it was. His brilliant Rose figured it out, like he knew she would. "We're all contaminated. We'll get pulled in."

He heard her remove the 3D glasses as he stepped in front of her, unable to look at her just yet as the emotions that he kept buried resurfaced.

"That's why you've got to go," The Doctor said, catching her eye as he looked up. He saw the disbelief in her eyes. "Back to Pete's World." He glanced at Pete because he needed to look somewhere else, if only for a moment. "Hey, we should call it that, Pete's World." He turned back to Rose and found, for the first time, that he couldn't pretend he was fine because he wasn't and probably never would be again. "I'm opening the Void, but only on this side. You'll be safer on that side."

"And then you close it. For good?" Pete asked.

"The breach itself is soaked in Void Stuff, in the end it'll close itself. And that's it. Kaput," the Doctor replied.

He turned back to Rose.

"But you stay on this side?" she asked.

"But you'll get pulled in," Mickey protested.

The Doctor looked into Rose's eyes. There were so many things he wanted to tell her. How she saved him in so many ways. How much it was going to hurt for her to leave. How much she met to him. How she was imprinted, not only across his hearts, but in his very soul. Three words that he wanted to say, had wanted to tell her for so long, but hadn't voiced and now he never would because he knew if he said anything she would stay and he couldn't let her do that. He couldn't let her die. Not her. So, he tore his gaze away and ran to the desk, lifting one of the magnaclamps.

"That's why... I got these. I'll just have to hold on tight. I've been doing it all my life," he said.

"I'm supposed to go?" Rose asked in a low voice.

He could hear the pain in her voice and the feelings that came with it seared through his chest, but he tried to pretend that it didn't bother him.

"Yeah," he said, dropping the magnaclamp on the floor.

"To another world and it gets sealed off?"

"Yeah."

He turned without looking at her and walked to the nearest computer. He couldn't chance her finding out how very fake his nonchalant attitude was and he knew if he looked at her at that moment he wouldn't be able to do what had to do. He couldn't let her die and he couldn't separate her from Jackie.

"Forever?" Rose asked, but he didn't dare look at her. She laughed at the absurdity of it. "That's not going to happen."

The building shook, reminding everyone in the room of the danger they were all in.

"We have no time to argue. The plan works. We're going. You two. All of us," Pete insisted, gathering everyone together.

"No, I'm not leaving him," Rose protested, angrily.

"I'm not going without her," Jackie argued.

"Oh, my God, we're going," Pete demanded.

"I've had twenty years without you, so button it. I'm not leaving her."

Rose grabbed her mum's arm and turned her so they were facing each other.

"You've _got_to," Rose said.

"Well, that's tough!" Jackie snapped.

"Mum..." She took her mum's hand. "I've had a life with you for nineteen years. But then I met the Doctor," The Time Lord stepped away from the computer and watched Rose, making sure to stay behind her where she couldn't see him. "and... all the things I've seen him do for me. For you. For all of us." He knew she wasn't going to leave on her own, but he couldn't let her stay. He couldn't let anything happen to her. "For the whole... stupidplanet and every planet out there. He does it alone, mum."

He saw Pete reach for the yellow disc shaped dimension jump in the inside pocket of his jacket. The Doctor reached for a similar device in his pocket. He pulled it out as Rose talked.

"But not anymore," she continued. He stepped closer to her as she backed up, still focused on her mum. "'Cos now he's got me." He hung the dimension jump around her neck. "What…?"

Pete pressed the yellow disc and the entire group vanished.

The Doctor's hearts broke as an empty feeling opened up inside of him. The only thing that kept him going was knowing that she was alive. She was safe. He tore his eyes from the space she'd occupied and raced to the computer.

"I think this is the on switch...," Rose said.

He turned at the sound of her voice. She must have used the dimension jump to return. He stared at her for a moment in disbelief then quickly closed the distance between them, grabbing her shoulders, roughly. He looked straight into her eyes. She had no idea what she'd done.

"Once the breach collapses, that's _it. _You will _never_ be able to see her again. Your own mother!" he yelled.

"I made my choice a long time ago, and I'm never gonna leave you," Rose said.

He stared at her in stunned silence. She…she was choosing him over her own family. He didn't know what to say. Part of him was angry that she'd come back from the safe place he'd sent her. Putting herself in danger for him. But another part couldn't believe that she would chose him over everything, that someone like her could care about him that much.

"So what can I do to help?" she asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Those coordinates over there, set them all at six," he said, after another moment. "And hurry up," he snapped, still not sure if he should be angry or not.

* * *

The Doctor hung on to the magnaclamp. Daleks and Cybermen flew past him as they were sucked into the Void. He couldn't believe how foolish he'd been, letting that beast in the pit get into his head. Rose was doing a good job of hanging onto her own magnaclamp. In a few minutes the breach would seal and it would be over.

He felt bad that she'd left her mum and he knew she'd be upset about it, but he couldn't help the joy he felt at the prospect of her staying with him. The Doctor in the TARDIS with Rose Tyler, as it should be.

The lever on Rose's side sparked and then began to move.

"Offline," the computerized female voice said.

Rose reached toward the lever with one hand while hanging onto the magnaclamp with the other. _No! _If she lost her grip she'd fly into the Void.

"Hold on!" he yelled, reaching for her, but he was too far away to be of any use.

She continued to reach for the lever. Her hand slipped, releasing her hold on the magnaclamp. She grabbed the lever with both hands.

"I've gotta get it upright," she yelled.

His body flooded with fear. If she slipped she'd be lost in the Void. It would kill her.

She pushed the lever up, slowly as the breach pulled at her, whipping her hair around her face. _The valiant child who will die in battle so very soon. _He should have sent her back to Pete's World. He should've made her stay.

The lever snapped into place.

"Online and locked," the computerized female voice announced.

The suction increased. Rose struggled to hold onto the lever.

"Rose, hold on!" the Doctor yelled, reaching for her in vain.

She winced and cried out with the effort to keep her grip on the lever. _She's going to slip. _He couldn't lose her. If she was pulled into the Void it would kill him. He was sure of it.

"Hold on!" he screamed, reaching for her again.

Her strength was draining and he was powerless…powerless to help her. He watched in horror as she struggled to keep hold of the lever. With one last cry her fingers slipped from the lever.

"Rose! Roooooose!" the Doctor yelled in desperation as she was pulled toward the Void.

Pete materialized, catching her right before she reached the breach. She glanced at the Doctor over her shoulder and then Pete pressed the dimension jump and they both vanished. The Time Lord couldn't take his eyes from where she disappeared.

He hardly noticed as the breach sealed itself and the wind died down. When he could finally move, he walked up to the wall where the breach had been. Each step a slow, agonizing torture. He felt as though a piece of his soul had been ripped from his body.

He placed his hand against the white wall and then leaned his cheek on the cold surface. She was there, just on the other side. He could feel her, but he would never be able to see her again. He lost the one person in all of existence who made him feel whole. His golden angel.

They might be separated by the Void, but he could feel her pain. It mirrored his own. He straightened and turned around, walking back to his TARDIS. The loss that he felt devastated him and he knew he would feel it for the rest of time.

* * *

The Doctor needed to make sure she was okay. He had to see her one last time. So, he did something he hadn't done since before the Time War. He reached out to her through the last remaining window, whispering her name into her mind while she slept. If she was anyone else it wouldn't have worked, but then, he wouldn't have done it for anyone else.

He whispered her name, over and over, calling her to him. He could feel her drawing closer, closing the distance between them. Once he could sense her on the other side of the window he began the projection.

When he saw her, standing on that beach, he wanted to run to her and wrap his arms around her, but he couldn't because they were merely images to each other. She was alive and that would have to be enough.

"Where are you?" she asked.

"Inside the TARDIS," he said. "There's one tiny little gap in the universe left, just about to close. And it takes a lot of power to send this projection, I'm in orbit around a super nova. I'm burning up a sun just to say goodbye."

"You look like a ghost."

"Hold on."

He pulled the sonic out of his pocket and located the right setting. Then he pointed it at the console and pushed the button to strengthen the projection.

Rose walked over to him and reached her hand out.

"Can I t-"

"I'm still just an image. No touch," he explained, regretfully.

He wished he could touch her. That he could somehow bring her back through that window. He wouldn't though. She was with her mum and he wouldn't take her away from her family.

"Can't you come through properly?"

"The whole thing would fracture. Two universes would collapse."

"So?"

They both laughed sadly. He gazed into her eyes for a moment, completely overwhelmed by the loss he felt. He finally tore his eyes away to gaze around the beach. It was the only way he could keep his tears at bay.

"Where are we? Where did the gap come out?"

"We're in Norway," she said.

"Norway. Right."

He was trying to hold himself together for her, but it was hard, so very hard.

"About fifty miles out of Bergen. It's called 'Dårlig Ulv Stranden'."

"Dalek?" he asked in concern.

"Dårl-IG. It's Norwegian for 'bad'." He looked at her in confusion. "This translates as Bad Wolf Bay," she said with a sad laugh. He joined her laugh with his own, but sobered a moment later.

"How long have we got?" she asked, her voice cracking.

"About two minutes…"

"I can't think of what to say."

"You've still got Mr. Mickey then?" he asked, looking over at the jeep, trying to focus on something else because the pain in her eyes was almost too much to bare.

"There's five of us now. Mum, dad, Mickey…and the baby."

_Baby? _His hearts tightened. Was she? If she was what would he do? Tear a hole in both universes to get her back? Very likely.

"You're not?" he asked, barely above a whisper.

"No." She laughed. "It's mum." He knew he should feel relieved. He did feel relieved because he didn't want her to go through that alone, but at the same time he couldn't help the whisper of sadness that passed over his hearts. "She's three months gone. More Tylers on the way."

"And what about you? Are you…?"

"Yeah, I'm-I'm back working in the shop."

"Oh, good for you."

"Shut up. No, I'm not. There's still a Torchwood on this planet. It's open for business. I think I know a thing or two about aliens."

Her voice began to tremble. He felt the dam of tears he'd been holding back threatening to spill.

"Rose Tyler. Defender of the Earth," he said, proudly.

That was _his Rose_. Always protecting someone and now she'd be protecting everyone.

"You're dead, officially, back home," he continued, looking up for a moment to try to regain his composure. He was close to losing it and he didn't want to do that in front of her. It would be easier for her to get on with her life if she thought he was fine, which he was, well, his version of fine. "So many people died that day and you've gone missing. You're on a list of the dead." She began to cry, making him want to comfort her, but he couldn't even touch her. "Here you are. Living a life day after day. The one adventure I can never have."

He was barely able to keep his voice from trembling.

"Am I ever going to see you again?" she asked, through her sobs as the tears began to fall.

"You can't," he said, barely above a whisper.

"What are you gonna do?"

He had no idea what he was going to do. He'd spent every moment since she was taken from him trying to find a way to see her again. One last time. But he couldn't tell her that. She needed to be able to get on with her life, not worry about him.

"Oh, I've got the TARDIS. Same old life. Last of the Time Lords."

"On your own?"

He nodded, unable to trust his own voice.

"I lo-" Her voice broke. She took a breath and he could tell she was trying to regain some control. "I love you."

"Quite right, too," he replied, softly.

"And I suppose…if it's my last chance to say it…" His voice began to waver. He steeled himself to say the three words that had been burned into his hearts almost from the moment he first took her hand in his. "Rose Tyler…I love you." Only she didn't hear the last three words because the image faded.

He was unable to hold back the tears. She was gone. His golden angel. And he would never see her again. He stood there, in the TARDIS, feeling the weight of both his hearts. A feeling of loss, utterly hopeless loss, settled in his chest.

* * *

I don't own Doctor Who, any of its Characters, any of its Story Lines, any Jammy Dodgers (because I live in the states), however I do have bananas and I own a fez.

**Thank you to all my brilliant readers and if you have time reviews are always welcome! :)**


	3. Chance Meeting

Rose stood in what was now being referred to as the _shift room_ as her team manned the computers. Ted handed her the gun. She pulled the strap over her head so it hung across her chest. After working for Torchwood for nearly two years she was used to the weight.

"Why does it have to be you?" her mum asked.

Rose tried to keep herself from rolling her eyes. She knew her mum was worried. She'd argued for the past hour while they were getting everything ready.

"You know why, mum," Rose said.

"Someone else could go."

"Yeah, but I'm the one he'll trust. It would take longer if someone else went and we don't have that kind of time."

"You ain't coming back are you?"

She sighed. Rose hadn't actually said it, but her mum knew how much she loved the Doctor. _Her Doctor. _That's why her team went to work building the dimension cannon in the first place. Then the stars started going out and they'd doubled their efforts because it wasn't just about Rose getting back to him anymore. It was about saving everyone.

"I don't know," Rose said.

"Don't lie to me. I know once you get back with him I'll…I'll never see you again," Jackie insisted.

"I love him mum. You know that. I told him I'd stay with him forever and I'm not about to back out of that. I don't want to."

Her mum started crying. Mickey put his arm around her shoulder.

"Take care of her, yeah?" Rose asked.

"Yeah," Mickey said, but she could tell he wasn't any happier about the idea.

"Ten seconds," Ted called.

The countdown started. Rose put her hands on the gun and cocked it.

"This ought to be fun," she said.

She felt a burning sensation behind her eyes.

"Is that…Is that supposed to happen?" Jackie asked, pointing at Rose.

"Is what…" was all Rose got out before the countdown hit one and the room vanished.

She felt like she was being pulled and then the ground was beneath her once again. The burning sensation receded and she looked around. The dark street looked deserted. _Did I make it? _She looked up at the sky expecting to see something, but it looked normal. _What? _It didn't look like anything had happened yet, but that wasn't right.

All the stars had gone out in her universe. Granted, that one was running ahead of this one, but still, something should've happened by now. She spun around at the familiar high-pitched whine of the TARDIS engines.

As she watched, the box materialized on the street corner. _The Doctor! _Her lips split into a wide grin. She raced down the street. She heard the doors open before she reached it. From her vantage point behind the TARDIS she could see a cloud of smoke escape, then she heard a cough.

"Doctor!" she yelled, racing around the side.

* * *

The TARDIS materialized. The Doctor coughed, running to the door. "Extractor Fans," he yelled through another cough and stepped outside. He'd really done a number on her when he regenerated, but she'd pull through. Always did. It would just take a while. He needed to get back to little Amelia, but it wouldn't do either of them any good if he choked to death. One regeneration a day was quite enough.

"Doctor!" a woman yelled.

He froze. Something…there was something about her voice. He couldn't put his finger on it, but both of his hearts began to beat wildly, which was really not good because he wasn't finished regenerating. He doubled over.

* * *

As Rose raced around the side of the TARDIS she watched him double over. _No! Oh, God, no! _His back was to her, but she could tell that something bad had happened to him from the state of his clothes. She ran to him.

"Doctor, what is it? What happened?"

"I…" he gasped.

_No, please! _She couldn't lose him. Not after she just found him. She tried to scoot around to see him, but he turned away. Why wouldn't he let her help him?

"Doctor, please, let me help you."

* * *

_This can't be happening! This absolutely can't be happening! _But it was. She…she was there, but she couldn't be there. He'd left her in the parallel universe with the Meta-Crisis. They were happy. Together. Having the kind of life he always wanted with her, but couldn't have. How was she there? It…it wasn't possible.

What would she say when she saw him? He'd only just regenerated. He was so afraid to look at her. He thought she would be locked away when he regenerated. Just a memory of one of his past regenerations like the rest, but as his heartbeat increased he realized that the feelings that he had for the girl who's hand he'd grabbed in the basement of that department store all those years ago hadn't changed. She was still _his Rose. _The golden angel who saved him after the Last Time War.

"I…I'm fine really," he said, which was a complete lie. He was anything, but fine. She was there. Right there and all he had to do was reach out, but he couldn't. Wouldn't. Something was wrong. He could sense it.

"Please, let me help," she said and the pleading in her voice crumbled his resolve.

He let her help him stand. Then he turned around and faced her. The moment he looked at her, he was hit by a wave of emotion. All he wanted to do was reach out and wrap his arms around her, but he was held back by the shock in her eyes.

"You've regenerated," she gasped.

That's when he took in her clothes and the gun. _No! _This was bad. Really not good. She…she was wearing the same clothes she wore all those years ago. This wasn't present Rose. This was past Rose and she definitely shouldn't be there. This could…this was really not good.

He knew he should leave. Run back in the TARDIS and go somewhere, anywhere else, but he couldn't tear his eyes from her because she was so close. His golden angel. She stepped closer to him and he was only slightly aware of how very not good that was.

"What…what happened?" she asked, examining his face.

"I…uh…I…" He wasn't sure what to tell her. He couldn't tell her the truth, well, the truth was obvious, he'd died, but he couldn't let her know how or when. This was really, really bad.

"Was it me? Did I do this?" she asked, hesitantly.

_What? Why would…_ Then he remembered. The last time he regenerated was because he'd had to remove the Time Vortex from her. Did she blame herself for that? Of course she did. She was Rose and even when she helped someone if something went wrong she blamed herself, just like he did. Maybe not to the extent that he did, but still…

"No, someone was in danger and I had to save them. They're safe, but I…well, you see what happened."

"But it wasn't me?"

"No, it wasn't you. I promise," he said, smiling.

"Can I?" she asked, reaching toward his cheek.

He knew he shouldn't let her. He should go. He really should go, but he didn't have the strength to stop her because she was…well, she was Rose. She laid her hand against his cheek and his eyes found hers.

"You're still you," she said, giving him that smile he hadn't seen in far too long.

"I'm still me," he agreed, returning her smile.

He missed her so much. More than he could allow himself to feel, but she was there. Right in front of him and before he could stop himself he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. That's when he felt the gun and his mind snapped back.

He pushed her back, not forcefully, but not exactly pleasantly either.

"Rose, you…I…I have to go," he stammered.

"But you can't," she insisted, grabbing his hand.

"No, really I…I have to."

She held his hand more firmly and he wasn't able to pull out of her grip.

"I came to warn you. To help you. It's-"

"The darkness, I know. The stars and all that."

"How did you know?"

"It's…I'm…" he tried to pull away, but she wouldn't release him. He knew he'd have to say something. He couldn't tell her the truth, well, not all of it, but he had to tell her something or they'd be standing there all night and then she'd never get to where she was supposed to be. "Look, I…" He sighed and then leaned down and took her cheek in his hand. "I'm not the Doctor you're looking for. I mean, I am the Doctor, but not the one you're supposed to find."

"You're not making any sense."

"I'm making perfect sense you're just not paying attention."

"Being rude again. I see that hasn't changed," she teased, giving him a playful smile, which made him want to pull her into the TARDIS and damn the consequences.

"I…" He wrestled to control his feelings and after a moment was able to look her in the eyes again. "I'm the Doctor in the future."

"What?"

"You're looking for me to warn me that the stars are going out in the parallel universe, right?"

"Yeah."

"I remember that because it happened to me, in the past. It happened before I regenerated."

He watched her eyes widen as she began to understand what he was saying.

"So, this is future you, yeah?"

"Exactly."

"So, then…hang on. Does that mean I'm in the future?"

"Yes, but not just my future. We're two hundred years in the future."

"What? But that doesn't even make any sense. The dimension cannon just crosses through the Void. Or, at least, that's all it should do."

"Yes, that is very strange."

Maybe that's why he was there. Maybe he needed to get her to the proper time. She hadn't told him she met his future self, but then Rose knew how dangerous something like that could be. He couldn't help smiling. He'd always thought she was brilliant. Yes, she must have figured out that it would be a bad idea, which it would've been. Definitely, really, not good.

* * *

Rose watched him try to work out what was going on. He looked so different. His dark hair flopped over one eye. He was still lanky, but not as thin and his brown eyes had been replaced by piercing green, but he was still _her Doctor. _She'd seen that when she looked into his eyes.

She wondered how far in the future this version was. He was still dressed the same, with the acceptation of his jacket and overcoat. His clothes were ripped and torn. Was that due to his regeneration or from when he died? The thought of him dying hurt, but he said he'd saved someone and she couldn't blame him for that. Saving people was what the Doctor did.

That's when she realized he was alone. No one else had come out of the TARDIS. He said she made it back to him. He remembered her telling him about the stars. If that was true then where was she? Shouldn't she have come out of the TARDIS too?

"Doctor…" she began, but her phone rang.

She gave him an apologetic smile as she answered. He motioned to the TARDIS and she nodded, thinking he meant to check on something.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Did you make it?" Ted inquired.

She didn't even wonder how he could be calling her because it was the same phone the Doctor had fixed for her. It didn't matter what time she was in, she'd always be able to use it.

"Yeah, but I'm not in the right time."

"Not in the what?"

"Right time. I'm about two hundred years off."

"But that…"

"Doesn't make any sense, yeah?"

"Well, actually…wait…" She could hear him moving around. He must be checking something. "There was an energy spike when you shifted."

"An energy spike?"

"Yes, and it looks like it's happening again."

If it was happening again then maybe it could get her back to the right time.

"Can you shift me from here?"

"Yes, I have a lock on you. Do you want to try it again?"

Rose wasn't sure if she should leave the Doctor, but then he did say he wasn't one she needed to find. He was a future version and she needed to find the present version. He remembered that she found him so this must all workout somehow.

"Yeah, let's give it a go."

"We'll try it in five," Ted confirmed.

She hung up and slid her phone back in her pocket.

"I'm going," she called toward the TARDIS. She had enough time to register that burning sensation behind her eyes and then she was gone.

* * *

The Doctor heard her say she was going. He rushed out of the TARDIS to stop her. If she could only move through space then he was sure he needed to be the one to get her to the correct time. Why else would the TARDIS have brought him there?

She was gone. He stood there for a few minutes, concentrating, but nothing changed. He still remembered seeing her at the end of that dark street and running, then the Dalek, then everything else. It was all still there. Nothing changed. So, why was he there? Was it just to torment him further? To remind him of what he'd lost? What he could never have?

The TARDIS whined. Yes, he needed to get back. He'd promised little Amelia five minutes and there was still prisoner zero to take care of. He pushed Rose to the back of his mind again and did the only thing he knew how to do…kept going.

* * *

I don't own Doctor Who, any of its Characters, any of its Story Lines, any Jammy Dodgers (because I live in the states), however I do have bananas and I own a fez.

**Thank you to all my brilliant readers and if you have time reviews are always welcome! :)**


	4. Second Chance Meeting

Rose materialized with her hands pressed against her temples. The burning sensation receded a moment later and she straightened up, looking around. She was in a dark alley. Not exactly the best place to come out.

She looked up. The sky still seemed normal. Did she make it or was she now in some other time? She pulled her phone out and called Torchwood.

"Hello?" Ted answered.

"What do the readings say?"

"You're still a little off the right time."

"Can you shift me again?"

"Yes, but it's going to be about ten minutes or so."

"I'll wait then."

She hung up and slipped her phone back in her pocket. The litter on the ground began to move as the wind picked up. A moment later the high-pitched whine of the TARDIS engines filled the alley.

Rose spun around and backed up a few paces as the TARDIS materialized. It was him. The doors opened and the future Doctor stepped out. Her heart sank. He was the Doctor, but not the one she needed to find.

He'd changed, not his face, but his clothes. He wore dark pants, boots, a pink-ish shirt, tweed jacket, red bracers and a bowtie. She couldn't help laughing when she took in his new outfit. It had taken her a while to get used to his change from the leather jacket to the three-piece suit and now…she shook her head.

* * *

The Doctor looked up at the familiar laugh. The door in his mind burst opened and all those feelings rushed out. She was back…again. He'd meant to hop to the moon. Had expected to step out on the moon and he'd been so busy trying to work out what he was doing in an alley that he hadn't noticed her until she laughed.

Seeing her once was hard enough, but a second time? He didn't know how much more of this torment his hearts could take.

"Hello, again," she said.

"Hello," he greeted.

He knew he should leave, but she'd said hello and it was only right that he greeted her back. He didn't want her to accuse him of being rude again. She stepped closer to him and for a moment he didn't breathe.

"You changed."

"Nope, same face…see," he said, slapping his cheeks.

She laughed. He'd missed her laugh so much. It made his hearts ache.

"Shut up! I mean your clothes."

"Oh." He straightened his suit and then spun around. "What do you think?"

He realized he was actually worried about what she thought. He had just thrown it together. Of course he could always find something else in the TARDIS wardrobe. This had been last minute and there hadn't been a lot to work with at the hospital.

She stepped closer, inspecting him. She ran her hand down the side of his jacket and he felt his hearts beat faster at her touch.

"I like it," she said, smiling as she reached up to straighten his bowtie. "It reminds me of the outfit you were wearing when we stopped the Cybermen. I think the bowtie makes you look cool."

"Really?" he asked, looking in her eyes.

"Really."

She gave him that smile and he couldn't help, but smile back.

"You're right," he said, pulling her into a hug, before he could stop himself because she was standing so close. "Bowties are cool."

She laughed.

"You're mad you know that?"

"I think you might be right about that."

"I think I am. Mad man with a box, yeah?"

"Mad man with a box," he said, smiling. "I like the sound of that."

* * *

Rose couldn't shake the feeling that he seemed sad and the way he kept looking at her with such intensity made her feel like there was something wrong. No one followed him out again. Where was she?

He released her and she stepped back, gazing into his eyes. She wasn't sure if she should ask. This was the future Doctor and she knew things like that could be dangerous.

"So…um…are you okay?" she asked.

His looked at her and for a moment his eyes clouded over and he seemed so sad then it was gone and he was smiling at her as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"I'm fine, never better," he said.

"Doctor, you can't lie to me. Never could. You know that."

"It's just…new face, new body, just a little getting used to time. That's all."

She eyed him suspiciously, but decided to let the matter drop. She didn't have much time. They'd be shifting her in a few minutes.

"You're not alone are you?"

"No…yes…I mean, I am alone right now, but not how you think. There's this girl, Amelia, although she calls herself Amy now."

"A girl?" Rose asked and couldn't help feeling a little jealous. So, he was with someone else now? Where was Rose then? What'd happened to her?

"Yes, she was a little girl when I met her, about eight or ten, I'm not very good with human ages. She's not little anymore."

"You met her when she was a little girl?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Yes…shut up! Not like that. She's just a friend, if that's the right word. I mean, she did hit me with a cricket bat so maybe, but then she thought I was breaking in and it had been twelve years since I left and I did tell her I'd be back in five minutes, but still that cricket bat hurt."

She laughed. It was the first time he'd thrown her words back at her. She was usually the one telling him to shut up.

"She hit you with a cricket bat?"

"And it hurt."

"You're such a girl."

"It was a cricket bat!"

"I like her," Rose said. "You're going to take her with you, aren't you?"

"Yes, I kind of owe it to her since I was gone for so long. Don't you think?"

"Yes, obvious that." She pulled him in for another hug, before stepping back. "I'm going to be shifting in a minute. Don't want to accidentally take you with me, yeah?"

"No, can't have that. I'd never find the TARDIS again and I think she'd be pretty upset about that."

Rose thought about asking him what happened to her, but she knew he couldn't answer her. Too much future knowledge was bad. She remembered how he always kept things to himself when anyone from the past asked. She didn't want to put him in that position with her.

"Take care of yourself, Doctor, and remember I love you," she said and then she shifted.

* * *

The Doctor stood there for a moment unable to breathe. _And remember I love you. _He knew and he'd never forget. How could he? He loved Rose Marion Tyler. Always had and always would. He let out a sigh and then stepped back into the TARDIS. He needed a little time to get his bearings before he returned for Amy. He decided to run the TARDIS to the moon like he intended before he went back for her.

* * *

I don't own Doctor Who, any of its Characters, any of its Story Lines, however I own a fez.

Thank you to all my brilliant readers!

**So, I have a couple different ideas for the villain and I figured I'd let you guys vote on it.**

**1. The Valeyard**

**2. Evil Parallel Version of the Doctor**

**3. Parallel Version of Madam Kovarian (not real sure about this one)  
**

**4. Some random OC**

**5. None of the above because I'd like it to be (insert character here).**

**There you go. Let me know. :)**


	5. Keeping Secrets

The TARDIS knew what she had to do. Necessary steps to keep her thief safe, but more than that, to ensure that he would save the yellow girl who was more than a girl. She reached out to that little bit of the Time Vortex, that little bit of her that lay dormant inside her other daughter. She'd already done it twice. This would be the third time.

It'd been a long time since she'd seen the yellow girl. Not long for her other daughter, but long for her. They would be together again though. Soon. Then things would be as they should. Her thief would be safe. The yellow girl would be safe and the little one. That's when everything would change, but a good change.

Her thief had suffered enough. Would suffer more, but in the end he would have what he deserved. He would have his forever.

* * *

Rose materialized next to a set of closed shops. _I like a little shop. _The memory made her smile. She missed the Doctor so much. Seeing his future self and realizing that she wasn't with him anymore hurt, but Sarah Jane was right, he was worth getting her heart broken.

She was in love with him. Had been since he wore leather and talked with a Northern accent. It took some getting used to after he regenerated, but her feelings didn't change. He was _her Doctor _no matter what he looked like. She thought he might feel different, which was why she'd been nervous, standing outside with him that first night while ash fell around them like snow, but he held out his hand, inviting her to come with him with that brilliant new smile she came to love.

They came together easily. He was different, but the same on the inside and that's what mattered. He never said _I love you_, even after he changed, but she could see it in his eyes. Not so much at first, but after Mickey stayed in the parallel universe and things between them _changed, _she could see it every time he looked at her. And, oh, the way he looked at her, particularly after, a shiver ran up her spine as warmth crept into her cheeks.

Her phone rang, bringing her out of her thoughts, thoughts that were best left on the back burner for now, especially with more important things to think about, like the fact that the walls to reality were collapsing.

"Ms. Tyler?" Ted asked.

"Yeah," Rose said.

"You're still a little off, time wise."

"I kind of figured since I can see the stars, yeah?"

"Oh, right."

"Hopefully, you can get me there in the next shift," she said, sounding more irritated than she intended.

It wasn't Ted's fault, whatever was causing her to jump around in time, but there was so much at stake and she had to blame someone.

"Yes…um…"

"Sorry, Ted, I know it's not your fault. I'm just a little anxious to get back to the proper Doctor and tell him about all this."

"The proper…?"

"Never mind. Can you shift me again?"

"Yes, but…um…it's going to be a little while."

"How long?"

"I'm not sure. I'm getting some strange fluctuations with the equipment and I need to run a couple diagnostic tests before we shift you again."

She sighed in frustration.

"I'm sure it's fine."

"But-"

She heard movement on the other end then a familiar voice came over the line.

"We're running the tests and that's final," Pete insisted.

Rose rolled her eyes at her dad's authoritative tone. This Pete was actually a parallel version of her dad because her real dad died when she was little, but since her and her mum had been stuck in the parallel universe he'd become her dad in every sense of the word. Although he was more understanding when it came to Rose wanting to return to the Doctor he was just as protective as her mum.

"I'm sure it's fine," she said.

"Well, I'm not. I'll give you a call after we've checked everything."

He hung up before she could continue protesting. She could call him back, but what was the point? She was stuck. She sighed again and stuffed her phone back in her pocket. _Might as well get comfortable. _She pulled the gun off and set it on the ground.

* * *

The Doctor held the phone to his ear in stunned silence as the time rotor slowly moved up and down. _Time catches up with us all. _

"Doctor, what's wrong?" Dorium asked, well, Dorium's head from inside the box that was sitting upside down in the jump seat.

"Nothing. I…just…" the Doctor said as he slowly hung up the phone. He stood there for a moment letting it all sink in. Not even a Time Lord could escape his fate. He'd been running for so long and maybe… He slipped his hand into his pocket and it closed around the TARDIS blue envelopes. He pulled them out and looked at them, then nodded to himself. "It's time." He was so tired of running and now… "It's time."

"Time for what?" Dorium asked.

The Doctor ignored him as he flipped levers and pushed buttons without the flair he'd once used. He knew the truth better than anyone. Everything has its time. Everything dies, even Time Lords.

"Doctor, where are we going? Where are you taking me?"

He crossed the room and closed the door, cutting Dorium off. This was hard enough without listening to his blue head chatter away.

He'd drop the envelopes off with the Teselecta because that would be safer than crossing his own timeline. He didn't need to create a worse situation because he wouldn't be around to fix it.

The TARDIS materialized and the Doctor crossed the room to the door. He stood there for a moment then took a deep breath and stepped outside. He expected any number of things, but the one thing he didn't expect was what he found. Rose Tyler leaned up against the front of a closed shop. She was wearing the same clothes she wore the last time he saw her, but she didn't have a gun strapped over her shoulder. He spotted it a moment later, sitting on the ground next to her feet.

He knew he should go, but then she smiled.

"We really do have to stop meeting like this, yeah?"

In the next moment he'd run the few steps to her and was wrapping his arms around her. He wasn't sure why he was there, but he thought that maybe the TARDIS was granting him a last wish. He'd gone back to see her the last time he was dying and now, at least he'd get to see her one last time.

"I missed you," he said, without thinking.

"I just saw you ten minutes ago," she laughed.

_Ten minutes? _It'd been so much longer for him. Lifetimes. She still smelled the way he remembered, like strawberries in summer and even though he had a new body she still fit perfectly in the crook of his shoulder. He knew he should leave, but he decided to allow himself a few minutes. He was going to his death after all. A few minutes with the woman he loved wasn't too much to ask.

"It's been a bit longer for me," he murmured into her hair.

* * *

When the Doctor released Rose, she looked into his eyes. She could tell that it'd been a _lot_ longer for him, not a bit like he claimed. He was looking at her as if he thought he'd never see her again and there was something else. She'd seen many things in the Doctor's eyes over the time they spent together. Fear. Anger. Joy. But the one thing she never thought she'd see was resignation and it was there in his eyes now.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I…nothing. I'm fine," he lied. She folded her arms. "Really. I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, really, it's fine. I'm fine."

She studied him. Well, his eyes actually. His previous regeneration would have closed down by now. Stepped away and hidden his feelings, but this one reached out and tucked a stray lock of her hear behind her ear. She could almost feel the weight of loss that radiated from his green eyes. It was nearly enough to take her breath away.

There was something going on. Something beyond him losing her. _Help him. _The thought whispered through her mind. She wasn't sure where it came from, but it was accompanied by such urgency that she knew she couldn't ignore it. Somehow she had to get the Doctor to tell her what was going on so she could help him and she didn't have a lot of time. There was only one way to do that.

"I can see that something's wrong. I've got about an hour and if you don't start talking," she pulled her phone out, "I'll give my team a call and tell them to delay the shift."

She wasn't sure how long she had, but she needed him to believe her threat so it was best to be as specific as possible. Even if it was a specific lie.

* * *

With those words the Doctor's stomach dropped if she delayed her shift there was every possibility that past events, his past events, might begin to alter. She wouldn't really do that, would she?

"Rose, don't," he insisted.

"Then tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing…" He watched her lift her phone as if to dial a number. "Stop! It's…it's just…there's something I have to do."

"Something you have to do?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"It's complicated."

"Yeah, I'm not buying that."

"Look, it's…" He ran a hand through his hair. "It's too dangerous if I tell you. I'm…you…if I tell you and something changes because of that...if something worse happens then it'd be my fault and I can't chance that."

He couldn't tell her. He knew he couldn't tell her. Rose wouldn't stand by and let something happen to him. She'd taken the Time Vortex inside of her to save him and if she found out what he was about to do she'd do everything in her power to stop him and then she'd never make it to his past self and for all he knew Davros might succeed and everything would cease to exist. No, it was far too dangerous. He needed to go, but now he couldn't even be sure she'd find him if he left, well, past him. He growled in frustration.

"Doctor," she said and a moment later he felt her hand in his. He turned to her. "I get that you're worried. That you think it's dangerous because you don't want me to change something that might hurt someone and I don't want that either, but if you're in trouble I…I want to help, if I can."

"I…um…" He was trapped. He had to tell her something, but he needed to be very careful about what he said. "I've been running from something for a long time and I can't run anymore."

"What does that mean?"

"There's something that I have to do. I've been avoiding it, but my time's up and now I have to do it."

"You're time's up?" she asked, a troubled look crossing her features.

He sighed and rubbed his face. Of course she'd latch onto that. One little slip up and she caught it.

"That's…I don't mean that…it's just this thing I have to do."

"What thing?"

"I can't get into details. What I've told you already is dangerous enough."

"Okay, then tell me what you can."

"There's…there's a fixed point. It's something that has to happen. That I have to do. Otherwise the entire universe will collapse and everyone will die." She laughed, making him pause. "What are you laughing at?"

"You."

"What?"

"You still think the entire universe revolves around you," she teased.

"It…it does, well, okay, this time it does."

"Because it's a fixed point, yeah?"

"Exactly."

"So whatever this thing is. It has to happen, yeah?"

"Yes."

"And it's bad?"

"Well…"

"Would I think it was bad?"

That was a loaded question. "Yes…no…well, yes. You would."

"But you can't tell me what it is?"

"No, definitely not."

* * *

Rose looked at him for a minute. Whatever he was keeping from her was bad. Very bad. _My time's up._ She knew he was afraid to tell her because he was afraid of what she might do. She could see that in his eyes. She also knew that it was dangerous for her to know, but she couldn't just leave him like that. He needed her. She couldn't leave him on his own, especially with something like that looming over him, but she didn't have much time. She had to find the past Doctor because the future Doctor remembered her finding him and since he was here everything must have worked out. She couldn't chance jeopardizing everyone.

"Okay, we need to straighten this out," she said, walking over to picking up her gun.

"Straighten-" but that's as far as he got because Rose walked through the door and into the TARDIS. "Wait, what are you doing?" he asked, chasing after her.

She sat her gun down next to the door and then crossed the room.

"Doctor? Is that you? Where are we?" a man asked.

"Who's there?" Rose asked.

"Oh, that's just Dorium. Well, Dorium's head actually." the Doctor said, gesturing toward a box sitting in one of the jump seats.

"Dorium's head?" she asked, glancing from the box on the jump seat to the Time Lord.

"It's not important. What are you doing? You really shouldn't be in here," he insisted.

"I hear voices. Who's there? Doctor, is that you?" Dorium asked.

"It's too noisy out here. Is my room still back there?" Rose asked, heading down the corridor.

"It's…you…really you shouldn't be in here," the Doctor stammered chasing after her.

She ignored him as she walked down the corridor. A door appeared halfway down. _Thank you. _She knew the TARDIS could hear her thoughts because, as the Doctor told her before their first date, the TARDIS gets inside your head. The lights brightened as she opened her door and stepped inside.

Her room was exactly the same, even her unmade bed.

"You need to leave, Rose," the Doctor said, behind her.

"I still have time before I can shift and it's enough time to work out your problem."

* * *

The Doctor sighed. He'd forgotten how stubborn she could be. She wouldn't let this alone, not until she had sorted his problem. He should've left when he had time, but he couldn't just walk away. He missed her too much.

She sat down on the edge of her bed and patted the area next to her. That was a really not good idea. He knew sitting next to her like that could be very dangerous. She might not know, but he did.

"I'm…um…I'm fine here, thanks," he said.

"Doctor," she insisted.

Reluctantly, he crossed the room and sat down, making sure there was at least a foot between them. Only she wasn't going to let that pass, he realized too late as she scooted closer to him. His hearts began to beat wildly and he had to take a breath and try to calm them.

"Okay, now, if I've got this straight, well, as straight as I can since you're holding things back." She put up a hand when he started to protest. "I know why you're not telling me, I'm just saying it's harder because I don't know everything." She took a breath. "Okay, so there's something you have to do, you don't want to do it, you've been avoiding doing it. No, actually running from it, but it's a…fixed point, yeah?"

"Yes."

"So you have to do it. If you don't everyone could die."

"Not just everyone, everything. Everywhere. The entire universe."

"So, obviously you have to do it. I mean, you can't let the entire universe die. You'd never do that," she said, giving him her smile, which made him smile because…how could he not? "Okay, so…fixed point. What does that mean exactly?"

"There's a point in time where something has to happen."

"Okay, and you have to be there?"

"Yes, that's the whole thing. Something has to happen to…well…and I have to be there."

"So, something has to happen and you have to be there, yeah?"

"Yes."

"And it's bad. Whatever is going to happen?"

"Um…I…um…" He couldn't tell her. She knew. He could see it in her eyes, but he couldn't admit it.

* * *

"Too dangerous. I got it. You-" _He's going to die. _The thought, which wasn't hers, struck her with enough force to pierce her heart. Where did that thought come from? It couldn't be true. She looked around her room as if she might find the source. Whoever was sending those thoughts to her.

"Rose, what's wrong?" the Doctor asked in concern.

His voice drew her attention. She looked into his green eyes. _Father's day. _That thought brought her back to the day she tried to save her dad and the creatures that came out of the wound in time she opened by altering the events of his death. Death. He was…the Doctor was going to die. That's why he was being evasive. Why he wouldn't tell her what was going on.

"Rose?" the Doctor asked again.

She couldn't let him die. She wouldn't. She had to stop him from going to that fixed point. _No, you must make him live. _What did that mean? Stopping him from going would make him live. _He must go. _She felt the Doctor grab her shoulders, forcefully.

"Rose! Tell me what's wrong," he insisted.

"You," she said, barely above a whisper as she locked her hazel eyes with his. "You're going to die, aren't you?"

She saw his eyes widen in surprise, but he covered it up a moment later.

"We're all going to die, eventually."

"The fixed point. It's your death, isn't it?"

* * *

This was really not good. He should've known she'd figure it out. She might've been a shop girl from London when they first met, but Rose Tyler was the most brilliant woman he'd ever known. Now she knew and he couldn't deny it, well, he could, but she'd know he was lying and what would be the point?

"Yes," he said, resigned.

"But you'll regenerate, right?" she asked.

He could hear the fear in her voice, not of him regenerating, but of the truth, which of course she probably guessed. It was true that he didn't particularly like regenerating, changing into another man, but he hadn't been running from that.

"I think you know the truth," he said, because he couldn't bring himself to tell her.

"But…but you can't."

"I have to. No way around it I'm afraid and I've tried. I ran farther than I've ever run before. Tried to change things. Hell, I ever restarted the whole bloody universe."

He laughed, sadly as he looked away because he couldn't stand the pain in her hazel eyes. And the accusations hidden there. Accusation that he'd given up, which he had. Didn't have a choice.

"You can't just give up."

"It's for the best."

The soft touch of her hand on his cheek snapped his eyes back to hers.

"How can you even say that?"

"Rose, you have no idea. The things I've done. I…" his voice broke. He cleared his throat before he continued. "…I caused this. It's my own fault because I couldn't save her. I tried, I really did, but by the time I worked it out it was too late. Amy and Rory said they don't blame me, but it's my fault. I just…"

"Doctor," she said, resting her free hand on his chest. "You've got to stop blaming yourself for everything. Look at all the good you do. All the people and planets you've saved. Who's going to do that after you're gone?"

"I'm just so tired, luv," he said, looking down, which made him miss the surprised look in Rose's eyes at his use of such an endearing word. "Maybe it's ti-"

In the next moment she'd grabbed his lapels and pulled him into a passionate kiss. He was so surprised that he didn't know what to do, but that only lasted for a second before his hand cradled the back of her head while the other wound around her waist. Her arms encircled his neck.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew it was a mistake. This was past Rose and this could very well change his history, but those thoughts were far away. They were clear on the other side of the love he felt for her and the desire that had been building inside of him ever since he sat down next on her on that bed.

His hand found its way under her shirt and jacket, as if it had a mind of its own, to caress her back. A moment later her hands gripped his hair firmly, pulling him closer and he obliged in deepening their kiss.

* * *

The moment his hand touched the bare skin of her back Rose felt a shiver of desire run through her body. He might be the future Doctor, but he was still _her Doctor. _The thought to kiss him hadn't been hers, well, not entirely hers. It had been a couple years since she was with anyone because it had always only been the Doctor. The man she loved.

She needed him to remember who he was. That he was the man who fought. Not the man who gave up. Although it became much harder to keep those thoughts in her head as he pulled her onto his lap and began unzipping her jacket, which she had to admit was pretty talented of him since he hadn't broken contact with her lips.

* * *

He felt her loosen his tie and was once again reminded of how very dangerous this situation was, but he told those thoughts to sod off. He spent years, hundreds of years, doing what was right and at that moment he didn't care that it was wrong. That he was being selfish. He was there and she was there. They could both go back to saving the universe later, but for now all that mattered was her.

* * *

The Doctor woke with a start. _I…sleeping? What? _He didn't sleep, well, he did, but not very often and usually in the library or somewhere else, but not in his bed, at least, not very often.

He sat up. _Rose. _A dream. Of course she'd been a dream. That was good. Yes, definitely good. His hearts begged to differ, but he knew it was for the best. If he'd…if they'd actually…that would've been bad. Definitely, really not good.

He pulled the covers back and realized… _No! No, no, no, no, no! _This was worse than bad. Worse than really not good. What had he done? He wasn't in his room he was in Rose's room and his clothes…

He closed his eyes and concentrated. Going back to that day in his mind. That day all those years ago with Donna. When he stepped out of the TARDIS and she was talking to him and she'd said, _Why don't you ask her yourself? _He turned around and there was Rose standing at the other end of that dark street. It was still there. All of it. Rose, Donna, Jack, the TARDIS, the Daleks, the Meta-Crisis, and everyone else. All of it. Nothing changed.

_Why? How? _She'd gone back to him and she hadn't said anything. He wasn't upset that she didn't say anything he was…amazed. She'd kept his secrets because she knew how dangerous it could be. Because she didn't want to jeopardize anyone. She didn't want to chance that he wouldn't be there to save everyone he'd saved. He smiled. Rose Tyler was the most brilliant person he knew. He sat there for a few minutes before the first wave of guilt washed over him as he thought about how hard it must have been for her. He thought back to that day on the beach with the Meta-Crisis. She hadn't said anything about what happened with him…future him, but she'd tried to get him to see. To understand how much she cared and that he was making a mistake by leaving her, which he had. He knew he had, but it was too late now.

_Promise me you'll fight. _Her words whispered through his mind. Her head had been resting on his chest, his arms wrapped around her, when she looked up at him. _Promise me you'll fight. _He tried to tell her he couldn't, but she hushed his protests with a kiss and then pulled away before he could draw her closer, like he wanted. _You're clever. Very clever, remember? I'm sure you'll find a way. _

* * *

I don't own Doctor Who, any of its Characters, any of its Story Lines, however I do own a fez.

**Thank you to all my brilliant readers and if you have time reviews are always welcome! :)**


	6. Broken Promises

He loved her. She knew he loved her. She'd seen it in his eyes, even after all those years, even after she wasn't with him anymore, which is why she stayed, why she… No, she couldn't think about that. This Doctor, the present Doctor couldn't find out about that. She thought he was alone because she died, but this must be what happened. This. Now. Somehow she had to get him to see. She had to change things, but she couldn't tell him. No matter how much she wanted to. Future knowledge was too dangerous.

"Alright. Both of you. Answer me this." Both Doctors walked up on either side of her. She looked from one to the other then settled on the Doctor first. "When I last stood on this beach on the worst day of my life…what was the last thing you said to me?" When he didn't answer right away she continued. "Go on, say it."

"I said, Rose Tyler," the Doctor said, his voice thick with emotion.

"Yeah, and how was that sentence going to end?"

She knew he loved her, loved her enough to still love her all those years later. He almost said it before. If she could just get him to say it. To admit it. Then maybe things could be different.

* * *

The Doctor couldn't remember ever being in this much pain. The only time that came close was the day he lost her at Canary Wharf. He could see the confusion in her eyes, but he couldn't comfort her because he knew one touch. That's all it would take. And he wouldn't be able to go through with this. He wouldn't be able to do what needed to be done.

Creating the Meta-Crisis was the only way to save them. The only way to save all of reality, but it came at a price and the price wasn't the Meta-Crisis. The price was her, but he couldn't tell her that. He couldn't let her know how he felt because he knew if he did she'd never stay behind. The half-Time Lord couldn't be left on his own and the Doctor couldn't chance taking the Meta-Crisis with him. The half-Time Lord was too dangerous. Rose would fix him as she'd fixed the Doctor after the Last Great Time War. She wouldn't leave him because she didn't leave people who needed her and he knew the Meta-Crisis would stay with her forever because they shared the same feelings for her.

"Does it need saying?" The Doctor asked, barely holding in his emotions.

He watched her turn to the Meta-Crisis and his hearts lanced with pain.

"New Doctor, what was the end of that sentence?"

The half-Time Lord put his hand on her shoulder and bent down to whisper in her ear. The Doctor didn't have to hear the words. He knew what the Meta-Crisis was whispering. Three words that would have to remain locked away in his hearts forever.

When the half-Time Lord leaned back she looked into his eyes for a moment and then kissed him. The Doctor felt like someone ripped both of his hearts from his chest. He turned around and walked away because the sight of them, together, was killing him.

Knowing that she would be happy and safe were the only things keeping him from crumbling on that beach. Donna followed him into the TARDIS. He leaned up against the coral as Donna started the time rotor. He was too devastated to do anything, but watch as she flipped levers. He felt like someone had taken a piece of his soul and he knew he'd never be the same again. Rose Tyler, his other half, the golden angel who saved him, was gone and he would never see her again.

* * *

A door closed and Rose snapped back with a gasp. She hadn't been standing there kissing the Doctor. She'd been kissing the new Doctor and _her Doctor _was leaving.

She ran to the dematerializing TARDIS, but it was too late. The TARDIS vanished and she was left alone. _He's gone. He left me and now he's…he's gone. _She hadn't been able to stop it. _Her Doctor _was gone and she'd never see him again.

She felt the new Doctor take her hand and she turned to look at him. He gazed into her eyes. She knew he loved her, but she couldn't help feeling that this wasn't right. She would help him, even though it wasn't fair, even though her heart felt like it'd been broken beyond repair. She would do it because he needed her.

The Doctor promised he would never leave her like he'd done to Sarah Jane, but he lied. She knew he thought he was doing the right thing. That was the Doctor, always trying to do the right thing, even if he was wrong.

"Do you still have your phone, sweetheart? I've got to call your father," Jackie asked.

Rose let go of the new Doctor's hand and turned around. She dug her phone out of her pocket and handed it to her mum. The new Doctor was beside her a moment later, taking her hand again. She let him because she knew he needed to know that she wasn't going to leave him and she wouldn't. How could she? None of this was his fault. She knew the Doctor was counting on the one thing that he knew for sure. Rose Tyler didn't leave people. She didn't want to leave Gwyneth in the basement of that funeral parlor, she didn't leave Adam behind in Van Statten's museum, she couldn't leave Jack behind, and even after the Doctor sent her away because the only way to stop the Daleks on that Game Station was to destroy everyone, including himself, she'd come back for him.

He was right. She wouldn't leave the new Doctor alone because that's not who she was, but she knew it was going to take her a while, probably a long while, to be able to look at him and not feel like her heart was being ripped open because the man he looked like, _her Doctor, _was gone and she'd never see him again. The only thing that kept her going was the fact that she knew the Doctor loved her. She'd seen it in his eyes. Not only the brown ones, but the green ones too. He still loved her, even years later, but that was a secret she'd have to keep. Something she couldn't even tell her mum. The new Doctor had already been through so much, losing the TARDIS, being marooned in a parallel universe, she couldn't hurt him like that.

* * *

I don't own Doctor Who, any of its Characters, any of its Story Lines, however I do own a fez.

**Thank you to all my brilliant readers and if you have time reviews are always welcome! :)**


	7. Bitter Consequences

Rose busied herself reorganizing her dresser. It wasn't necessary, but she thought it would be a good distraction as she waited for the results. It wasn't as distracting as she'd hoped. She bit her bottom lip, her mind unable to keep focused on her task. It kept returning to events that took place three months ago. The night before the Daleks and Bad Wolf Bay.

The first two weeks since that night had been difficult as James, the new Doctor, adjusted to life as a human and she adjusted to him. The Doctor was right about James. They thought alike and had the same memories, but sometimes James came out sounding a bit rougher, which he explained was that bit of Donna in him.

Even though she knew the Doctor had left her there to help James she couldn't help feeling betrayed. He told her he wouldn't do to her what he did to Sarah Jane, but he had. Those two weeks were filled with breakdowns on her part and James trying to comfort her, but it was hard because every time she looked at him she thought of the Doctor and what he'd done to her. Walking away like that without even saying goodbye.

Eventually she realized what she was doing to James. Blaming him for what someone else did, after all James was the one who told her the three words she'd never heard from the Doctor's lips. Yes, the Time Lord loved her. She knew that, but he wasn't able to tell her. To give that to her and James was.

They weren't together. Not in the intimate sense, but they were friends. He'd moved into the spare room in her flat, at first because he didn't have anywhere else to go. Well, he could've stayed with her parents, but she thought he'd probably rather sleep under a park bench than spend that much time with her mum.

Two weeks more and they were both working at Torchwood together. James had been reluctant at first, but she explained how things were different at the Torchwood in this universe and since he retained the Doctor's memories, which meant he could speak just about every language in the universe he would very likely serve as a translator, something they desperately needed. Although the TARDIS translated most languages that was usually a benefit for his companions since there weren't many languages he couldn't speak.

James wound up being the best and worst asset Torchwood could've asked for. His translator abilities came in handy on almost a daily basis, but his aversion to weapons had him and Pete butting heads on nearly a daily basis as well.

Rose's watch beeped, bringing her out of her thoughts. The three minutes were up. She sat the blue shirt she'd been holding back in her dresser and took a breath, trying to steady her hands because they started shaking. She turned around and made her way to the master bathroom.

* * *

As the doors to the lift slid open James reached in his pocket and realized he forgot the keys. He punched in the number for the floor that the flat was on he shared with Rose. He could be so daft sometimes. Well, all the time he was around her. He was glad she was finally moving on from that day at Bad Wolf Bay.

They had a rocky start at first and he wasn't sure if she was going to reject him or not, but she let him stay with her and after he helped her through the worst of it, which lasted about two weeks, she began to let him in. They weren't back to what they used to be, but they were close friends and he hoped that one day she'd be ready.

He was the same man after all. At least, up until the time when he and the Time Lord split. Well, not actually split, but he was born with all of the Time Lord's memories and his mind was essentially the same. He thought pretty much the same with a little bit of Donna thrown in, but that small part of her was probably why he'd been able to adjust so quickly to being human.

It still felt strange, being human, but if that was what he had to put up with to be with Rose it was worth it. The one adventure that he thought he'd never have and there he was. He'd thought about it many times when they traveled together and when he asked her how long she was going to stay with him and she answered _forever_ he allowed himself to believe it. For a moment, but that belief was shattered when he remembered that she was human and her forever wasn't nearly as long as his. Yes, she could stay with him forever, her forever and he'd watch as she grew old, as she withered and died. He didn't think he could watch someone he loved die like that. He hadn't been able to before. That's why he let them go. Leaving them behind, but he found that he wasn't able to do that with her. He'd almost left her countless times, had even made it to the TARDIS once, but he couldn't leave her. It was as if part of his soul cried out for her.

When he lost her at Canary Wharf something inside of him died, but then she came back to him and it was as if he was reborn. He intended to keep her with him forever and that was where he and the Doctor separated. He'd been able to keep her with him, but the Time Lord hadn't.

The Doctor, _The other Doctor_, had to walk away from her forever because that was the price he paid. James felt sorry for the Time Lord because he knew that Rose was not just another companion. She was part of him, which meant she was also part of James because he felt the same way about her.

None of that mattered now though. The Doctor was gone and Rose was with James now. She was _his Rose. _They were together and now that she had begun to let him in he knew that eventually they would get back to the way things used to be. He might be stuck on the slow path, but being stuck on the slow path with her was worth it. The Doctor was right, just being around her changed him. She made him want to be better.

Of course seeing her in those short, shorts that were, well, not much more than knickers and tank top she wore to bed helped. Oh, and those few times she walked through the living room with only a towel wrapped around her because she forgot to pull her clothes out of the dryer before she took a shower. He could recall the exact color each towel was, but he couldn't, for the life of him, remember what he'd been watching on the telly when it happened.

He opened the door and immediately realized something was wrong. She was crying. She hadn't broken down in weeks and his heart dropped at the thought that she was reliving that day on the beach again. The day she thought the Doctor abandoned her.

"Rose," he called as he ran through the living room and into her bedroom.

She was standing just inside the doorway of the master bathroom, looking at something in her hand. He ran to her, wondering what she could be looking at that was so upsetting.

"Rose, what's wrong?" he asked, comfortingly.

Her eyes snapped to his and he saw – horror, guilt, fear, pain… It nearly took his breath away. Why would she… He saw what she was holding before she was able to duck her hand behind her back. He was filled with his own emotions – anger, betrayal, pain. He grabbed her wrist and stared at the pink line as all of his emotions converged into one.

"Who?" he growled, not taking his eyes from the pink line because he couldn't look in her eyes.

He didn't trust himself and he knew he was gripping her wrist more tightly than he should, but he was afraid of what he might do if he moved.

"I…it's…" her voice wavered, but at that moment he didn't care.

He didn't care that she was upset because she had…she had… He couldn't even bring himself to think about it. He knew if he did his anger would win out. The same anger that he felt when he killed all those Daleks. It was there, burning just below the surface.

"Who?" he repeated, insistently.

"The…the Doctor," she said, barely above a whisper.

"Liar," he yelled, releasing her wrist and glaring into her eyes.

He clenched his hands as they shook with the rage that now coursed through him. How dare she stand there and lie to his face. He loved her. He trusted her and this was how she repaid him. He gave up everything for her. The TARDIS. The other universe. Everything!

"It's true," she insisted, her voice rising to match his.

He tried to reign in the emotions churning inside of him and with every ounce of strength he possessed he took a step back because he was afraid he might actually strike her. He was one step from losing control and he really wasn't sure what he was capable of at that moment.

"You know we haven't been together in two years and you're going to stand there and tell me that we… I-I don't even know who you are!"

* * *

She could hear the anger in his voice and see the betrayal in his eyes. She felt guilty, but his words cut through her guilt and turned it to anger. He was accusing her of something she'd never do. The Doctor said that James was him and in that moment that was the only person she saw. The Doctor. The man who'd walked away from her. The man who'd dropped her back in that universe and disappeared in his TARDIS just like he'd done to Sarah Jane.

"I'm not lying! You're the one who lies, remember?" she snapped.

His hand shot up as if to slap her. She took a step back and gasped in shock. The Doctor, _her Doctor _would never do that. The reality of the situation snapped into her mind. She hadn't been with James. She'd been with the Doctor, the future Doctor. The Time Lord said James was him, but did he mean James was the Doctor or did he mean James was the man he was at that time? That regeneration?

Jame's hand clamped down on her wrist and he began to half drag, half pull her out of the bathroom.

"What are you doing?" she asked, struggling in his grip.

"You want me to believe it's mine? Fine. We'll just run some tests, but I'm pretty sure I know what the results will be unless I've somehow forgotten us being _together _within the last three months and I'm pretty sure I haven't," he snapped as he drug her though the bedroom.

"James, I…" She trailed off as the anger drained out of her, replaced by guilt. He ignored her as he pulled her into the living room. He stopped to grab the keys off of the stand by the door. "James, wait," she insisted. He looked at her, but didn't let go of her wrist. His eyes bored holes into hers. "There's something I need to tell you."

"Ready to come clean?"

"You're right. We…we weren't together. You and me that is…" His hand tightened on her wrist. "When I was trying to find you using the dimension cannon I found the Doctor. Not the Doctor you were, but a future version of you. I saw you…I mean him three times and the third time you were…I mean he was in so much pain and I just-"

"You expect me to believe that you saw a future version of me, well, _him_ actually since I won't have a future version because I'm bloody human, not once, but three times?"

She thought he'd be hurt once she revealed the truth, but he didn't even believe her. She was sure the Doctor would've believed her. They weren't as much alike as she thought. The Doctor was wrong. They weren't the same person.

"It's true."

"Do you even know how impossible that is?" His eyes narrowed. "No, of course not. Otherwise you would've thought up a different lie."

That was it. She'd had enough. If he needed proof then she'd give him proof. Then he could sod off for all she cared.

"Fine. You want proof. Let's go run your stupid tests," she snapped, walking toward the door with his hand still clamped over her wrist.

He released her and followed in silence. A silence that stretched as he drove her to Torchwood, entered the building, and walked down the halls until they came to the infirmary.

* * *

James couldn't believe she was dragging this out. She was lying. She had to be. It was completely impossible that she would have seen his future self, _The Doctor's future self, _he corrected, three times when she was using the dimension cannon to get back to him. Part of him wanted to believe her. Told him that she was telling the truth. Rose would never lie to him like that, especially about something that important, but he pushed those feelings aside.

"How are we going to do this?" she asked as they entered the infirmary.

"If you're telling me the truth," he scoffed, "then the child you're carrying isn't human."

"What?" she gasped.

He paused for a moment. Taken back by the shock in her eyes. Maybe she was telling the truth. No, she probably hadn't thought of that when she made up the lie and now she was realizing that she'd be found out. Yes, that was much more likely.

"I'm human biologically. Well, except for my mind, but the Doctor is a full Time Lord."

"What do you-"

"If you are carrying his child, the likelihood of which is even slimmer than you running into a version of his _future_ self three different times in one night," he continued, interrupting her question. "Then a DNA test should prove that."

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

The fear in her voice tugged at his heart, but he tried to push it aside as he retrieved a needle and syringe. He had to run the test. She was forcing his hand. If she would only tell him the truth he wouldn't have to do this. He walked back to the medical table she was sitting on intent on doing just that, but the closer he got to her the more reluctant he became.

He watched her glance from the needle in his hand to him as realization crept over her face. He could see the fear in her eyes then it was replaced by fierce determination as she pulled in a breath and laid down and looked up at the ceiling as if this was something that had to be done, not something she wanted to do.

"Just get it over with," she said.

He looked at the needle in his hand. What the hell was he doing? This wasn't just anyone. This was Rose. She wouldn't lie to him. Not about this. He let out an unsteady breath. Had he completely lost his mind?

He turned around and put the needle back in the drawer then retrieved the ultrasound equipment.

"What are you doing?" she asked, confused.

"I…" He cleared his throat, his voice still unsteady after he realized what he'd been about to put her through. "I want to make sure everything's okay."

"I thought you wanted to make sure I wasn't lying?"

He pulled the cart with the equipment to the side of the table she was lying on. Then he looked into her eyes, taking her hand.

"If you say it happened then I believe you. I…I'm sorry, Rose. I know you wouldn't lie to me. Now, let's see how the little one is doing."

He didn't ask her to forgive him because he was afraid of what she'd say. He'd acted like a sod, no worse than a sod. He'd almost…he pushed the thoughts aside. He hoped being there for her would help make up for his actions.

"This is going to be a little cold," he apologized as he squirted some gel onto the scanner.

She lifted her shirt to expose her stomach. He turned the machine on and then lightly slid the scanner across her abdomen. He located the baby almost instantly. Rose appeared to be about twelve weeks along, give or take a week, which would put her around when she claimed…_said, _he amended. When she said she'd been with _him. _

He felt anger growing inside of him again. Looking at the child, her child, who wasn't his child was almost enough to send him over the edge again, but he pushed the anger down. He'd done it before as a Time Lord and he wasn't about to let his weak human emotions rule him. Everyone might call him James in this universe, but he hadn't changed his mind about himself. He was the Doctor, just like he told Donna on the Crucible.

As he moved the scanner something caught his eye. Slowly he backtracked and…froze. His eyes widened in shock.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Rose asked, fearfully.

"Your…" he rasped because his throat had gone dry. "Your baby has two hearts."

"What?" Rose gasped.

"You were telling me the truth."

"I…wait. I thought you said you believed me?"

"I…" He tried to believe her because he didn't think she would lie to him, but until that moment he had doubts. Now, all of his doubts were gone. They were replaced by fear. "This…we need to run some tests."

"Why? Do you see something?"

"No. Well, yes. I…I need to check something."

"What is it? What's wrong?"

He was scaring her and he hadn't meant to. At least not until he knew. He had to retrieve some equipment. He needed to run a DNA test, but he didn't want to put her through more than she'd already gone through. The medical devices on this planet were rudimentary, but he could put something together using the ultrasound equipment and a few other devices. It wouldn't take him long, but he didn't want her to sit there and worry.

"Its fine, Rose. I just need to run a test, but I need to put something together first. It won't take me too long."

"Doctor," she said, taking his hand. "Tell me what's wrong."

He turned to her. His eyes widened in surprise. It was the first time she'd called him that since he'd been in this body. He could see the fear in her eyes, but she sounded calm.

"I…I…" he stammered, trying to find a way to tell her without making her more afraid. "Your baby has two hearts."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm part Time Lord, Rose, and I only have one heart."

"And?"

"And two hearts would mean that your child is more Time Lord than I am."

"Okay and being more Time Lord would mean what? Is there some special diet I have to be on or something?"

He sighed. If only it that were true.

"Doctor, you're scaring me. Please, just tell me what you're so worried about."

"Rose, carrying a Time Lord baby is dangerous for a human."

"What do you mean?"

He sighed again, rubbing his neck. He'd have to tell her. There was no way around it now.

"If this baby is as much Time Lord as two hearts indicates then having this child could…could…"

"Could what?"

"Could kill you."

He needed to look at the baby's DNA. He had to know so he could decide what to do. No matter what Rose said, and he knew she'd protest him on it; he wouldn't let this child kill her. He wasn't about to lose her.

* * *

Two hours later Rose was lying on the table again while James ran the scanner over her stomach, but this time looking for a much different reading. She watched him nervously. _Please, just let everything be okay. Please. _Her emotions had been bounced around so much that morning she was already feeling the onset of exhaustion. It was too much.

She wanted to be there for her child, but she knew what her decision would be if the outcome wasn't what she wanted. This was her child and she was determined to make sure he or she survived.

"What does it say?" she asked.

"It's…Rose this just isn't possible," he said in shock.

"Please, just tell me."

The tears she'd been holding back were threatening to fall.

"Your…your baby is a Time Lord."

"Yeah, but how much?"

"No, you don't understand. Your baby is a full Time Lord."

"Wait, but how is that even possible?"

"I…I don't know. It shouldn't be, but don't worry. The good thing is your early enough along for me to decide how best to take care of this."

_Take care of this? _What the hell did he mean by that? Part of her knew, but she didn't want to believe that he would even suggest something like that. This was their child. No, this was her and the Doctor's child, she amended. Was that why James was suggesting _taking care of this_?

"I'm not _taking care _of anything," she snapped, pulling her shirt down and sitting up as soon as he finished wiping off the gel.

"Rose, you don't understand-"

"Don't act like I'm an idiot! I heard what you said, even if it's true-"

"It is true!"

* * *

James growled as his anger spilled out. He knew she'd fight him on this, but it was the only way. He wouldn't let her kill herself.

"You can't know for sure," she shot.

"If it had one heart, if it was part human, then yes, you would survive. The birth would still scar you, but you would survive, but it has two hearts. It's a full Time Lord. It will kill you. Not maybe. Not possibly. You _will _die, Rose and I'm not going to let that happen."

"First of all, _Doctor_," she snapped, disdainfully, "This is my _child_ not an _it_ and second you have absolutely no say over what I do, even if you were the father, which you're not!"

"You're right. He's the one who got to walk away and I'm the one who's stuck here with you. At least he got a choice!"

He knew he was hurting her, but at that moment he didn't care. Her words had hurt him and he wanted her to feel as bad as he did. She looked at him in shock for a minute, tears trailing down her cheeks, and then she ran from the room.

James kicked the table, which did nothing, but earn him a sore foot. He cursed, grabbing his foot and flopped back in a metal chair that almost fell backwards from his weight. _Rassilon! _He ran a hand through his hair all at once feeling like a sod again. He hated human emotions. They had never affected him this much. He'd been angry before, mainly at Pete over the man's constant weapon building and scavenging. He'd been jealous a few times when he was with Rose and another bloke would hit on her, but he'd never treated her the way he'd been treating her all morning. What the hell was wrong with him?

Part of it was shock. Shock over finding out that Rose had…but he couldn't blame her for what she did. Not now that he knew who she'd been with. He was jealous, yes, that was another part of it because her child was also _his _child. The Doctor's. If she'd been with the Doctor he had grown from he knew he wouldn't be thinking this way and he also knew he was being ridiculous. He couldn't help how he felt though.

Another part of his shock was over the fact that this was so nearly impossible that he hadn't expected it. Not her being with the Doctor, but her even conceiving. Although humans looked like Time Lords their genetic differences made conception nearly impossible. Then, added to that, was the fact that the child was a full Time Lord. No human DNA whatsoever, which made his rational mind, and there was quite a lot of that, wonder how she was even able to carry the child. Her body should have rejected the fetus, but it hadn't. In fact the baby was growing at a normal rate and seemed quite healthy.

Now that he was calm he was able to better assess the situation. He had allowed his pain and jealousy to take over his mind. There was an alternative that he missed or ignored. He would be a lot more confident in the idea if he still had his TARDIS, but it could still be done and he knew it was the only option that Rose would accept. He needed to talk to her, profusely apologize, which he hoped she would accept, even if she didn't he was sure there was at least one slap in his immediate future that he deserved, then he could tell her about the other option.

* * *

I don't own Doctor Who, any of its Characters, any of its Story Lines, however I do own a fez.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I tried to make the Duplicate a little more human in this one.

**Thank you to all my brilliant readers and if you have time reviews are always welcome! :)**


	8. Time Energy

Rose made it outside before collapsing on the nearest bench. Her body wracked with sobs. She was completely overwhelmed. In one morning she had found out that she was going to be a mum, realized she'd have to do this on her own because she could never see her baby's father again, discovered that the man she'd come to care about would rather destroy the life inside of her, and found out that she would likely die bringing her child into the world. It was more than she could handle and there wasn't anywhere for her to turn.

If she told her mum anything Jackie would want to talk to James, if he didn't go to her first and she knew her mum would want to protect her and she wouldn't be in favor of her daughter dying. Her dad would probably feel the same.

_Doctor where are you? _She knew hoping he would somehow show up and help her was futile. The walls between their universes were closed. She was so wrapped up in her tormented thoughts that she didn't hear James approach until he spoke.

"Rose," he said.

She glowered at him through her tears.

"Sod off!"

"I'm sorry, Rose. I...I know you probably won't forgive me and honestly I don't even think I deserve it. I was a right tosser and I-"

"More like an arse," Rose shot.

"Yes, that too. I…I wasn't thinking straight. I was hurt and…um…jealous and that's no excuse for the way I treated you, but I want to help. I do. I want to be there for you if you'll let me."

She met his gaze. He seemed genuinely sorry, but his words still hurt.

"I…I don't know."

"I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want, but after I thought about it I…well, there's another option."

"What is it?" she asked, giving him her full attention.

If there was a way they could both be safe then she was willing to try it, but she was still skeptical about his intentions. He sat down on the bench, next to her.

"I would have to run scans every couple days to make sure there aren't any problems, but if your baby continues to grow at a normal rate you could have a cesarean at thirty-nine weeks. I would have to build a sort of incubator that can contain the energy your child will build up in the final week."

"What energy?"

"Time Lords are born with the ability to regenerate. Their bodies build up energy in the final week before their birth. That energy is released at the time of birth, it's not enough to harm a Time Lady, but it would kill a human."

"And this will be safe for my baby?" she asked, still not sure if she fully trusted him. Not after what he said in the infirmary.

"I promise your baby will be safe," he said, taking her hand.

She looked into his eyes, searching for any hint that he was hiding something, but he seemed to be telling the truth. She let out a shaky breath. If everything worked out in a few months she'd be holding her daughter or son in her arms.

"Don't tell my parents yet, yeah?"

"Why not?"

"I…um…I just want to make sure everything's okay before I say anything. I should probably see a doctor first."

"You have seen a doctor."

"You know what I mean."

"I think Dr. Anderson would be best."

"He works here."

"Rose, you can't go to a clinic. You're carrying a baby with two hearts."

"Yeah, you're right. I guess I forgot about that."

"Don't worry. I trust Dr. Anderson and I'll oversee everything."

"Why would you need to oversee everything?"

"You're carrying a Time Lord baby. There are a lot of medications and anesthetics that you can't have because they'll harm the baby."

"I hadn't thought of that."

"Good thing you have an expert on Time Lords then."

* * *

James led Rose into Dr. Andrews' office. He called ahead to make sure the doctor wasn't tied up with something else. He wanted to prove to Rose that he was intent on helping her so after she agreed to see Dr. Andrews he didn't wasted any time.

The man James considered a friend stood from behind his desk to greet the half-Time Lord warmly as he entered. The doctor was in his mid-forties with graying ginger hair and a warm smile. He was ginger, what's not to like?

"James, good to see you," Dr. Andrews said, offering his hand.

The half-Time Lord shook the man's hand with his own grin plastered on his face.

"Bruce, it's good to see you too. I haven't seen you around the lab lately."

"Been a little tied up on a side project for Director Tyler, but I should have everything wrapped up in the next couple days."

"What sort of side project?" James asked with interest.

"It's very hush hush, which means I'll fill you in later," he said with a wink. "I'm sure she would rather take care of what you came here for anyway." Dr. Andrews said, indicating Rose.

"Ah, yes. Sorry about that," James apologized, looking at her.

"It's fine, but he's right. I would like to get back to the flat soon," she said.

"This is Dr. Andrews. Bruce this is Rose Tyler."

"Tyler? You're the Director's daughter, aren't you?" Dr. Andrews asked.

"He's my dad, yeah," Rose agreed.

"James wasn't entirely forthcoming on the phone, but I assumed there was something wrong with you. Although you seem to be okay." Rose exchanged a glance with James. "Is there something I'm missing?"

"I'm…um…I'm pregnant," Rose admitted.

"Well, then, congratulations are in order. Are you the-" Dr. Andrews began to ask, but stopped when he caught the look on Jame's face, which was something akin to pain.

"No…it's…um." James ran a hand through his hair.

"It's complicated," Rose said.

"Complicated," Dr. Andrews repeated. After a moment of silence he continued, "To be honest I still don't understand what I can do for you."

"I'm going to need a doctor for the baby and all."

"Oh, and you've come to me to help you find one. Well, as I told James I haven't been in town for long so I don't really know anyone in the medical field here."

"I…" Rose hesitated, looking at James again before continuing. "James suggested that I see you."

"Me? I did tell James that I had a family practice when I first started out, but now that I work for Torchwood I…well, I don't really take _patients _in that sense anymore."

"We came to you because…well, she can't go to a clinic." Dr. Andrews raised his eyebrows questioningly. "It's…it's complicated."

"Why don't you have a seat?" Bruce asked, indicating the leather couch against the wall. "I have a feeling this is going to take a while."

He pulled a chair over to join them after they sat down. James looked at Rose, but when she made no move to go first he sighed.

"We've known each other for a few months. I know that's not very long, but I've seen the way you treat people. Not just humans. I've seen you treat some of the visitors."

Relations with other species had increased since James began working as a translator, which caused an increase in visits from aliens. Their stays were usually brief. Some wanted to trade, some needed help, which was usually a mechanical problem with one of their ships, something James was able to help with, and a few wanted asylum. Sometimes Pete granted them asylum, but not very often because he had to run all that through government channels. If the public ever found out they would most likely panic.

"It's thanks to you that I was able to help them as much as I have. If it wasn't for your ability to translate for them I wouldn't have had any idea how to help them."

"You've asked me on more than one occasion how I am able to translate for all the different species you've seen and I skirted around the question." Dr. Andrews didn't respond, but he'd become very quiet, as if he was waiting for the answer. "It's…um…I'm, well, I'm not entirely human myself."

"I thought so."

"You did?"

Dr. Andrews smiled. "Your ability to translate so many languages made me suspicious, but when you burned your hand a few weeks ago and miraculously healed from a third degree burn in a week. Well, no one can heal that fast, at least no one human."

James wasn't immortal. The Doctor was right when he said that the half-Time Lord would live a human life, but he did heal a lot faster than other humans.

"You haven't told anyone have you?"

"James, I thought you knew me better than that."

"Ah, yes, sorry. I just wasn't expecting you to have figured it out on your own." Rose fidgeted uncomfortably, bringing him back to the reason he was revealing all this in the first place. "The thing is Bruce, the baby that Rose is carrying is like me."

"Like you?" Bruce asked, then his eyes widened as he began to understand what James was saying. "You mean her baby isn't human."

He glanced at Rose's stomach as if he could somehow see the child inside of her. Rose fidgeted again and James could see Bruce's attention was making her even more uncomfortable.

"No…I mean yes, her baby isn't human, but I also mean her baby is like me. I'm a Time Lord, well, half-Time Lord, actually."

"Half-Time Lord?" Bruce asked, looking at James as if seeing him for the first time. "But you look human."

"Actually you look Time Lord. We were here first."

"So, Time Lord's and humans look alike?"

"Yes."

"But there are obviously differences, like the way your hand healed."

"Internally, Time Lords are different."

"I did your exams when you started working here. I didn't see any differences."

"That's because I'm half human." Bruce gave him an unconvinced look. "Physically I'm human, but I have a Time Lord brain, which is why I can speak over five billion languages."

"Five billion?" Bruce asked with wide eyes. "But…but that's impossible."

"It's true," Rose insisted.

"For a human, yes, but not for a Time Lord." He could tell that Bruce didn't really believe him. "Why don't you take Rose into one of your exam room while I bring up the ultrasound machine from the medical bay. Is that alright with you Rose?" James asked.

"Yeah, it's fine," she replied, standing up.

James could tell that she was tired and probably would rather go back to their flat and take a nap than have to go through with another ultrasound, but she also understood that they needed Dr. Andrews to help them. Well, to help her and the baby.

"I have an ultrasound machine in my exam room," Bruce said.

"Not like this one," James replied as he stood up and headed to the door.

* * *

Twenty minutes later Rose was lying on another exam table while James ran the scanner over her stomach. This time she was able to see the image of her baby on the screen.

"Her baby has two hearts," Dr. Andrews said in concern.

"That's what made me first suspect that her child is more Time Lord than I am," James explained.

"What do you mean?"

"Time Lords have two hearts. One of the many physiological differences. And this," James said, flipping a switch on the altered ultrasound machine, "is why I wanted to bring this machine up here."

As Rose watched a second screen came to life below the first one. Something that looked very much like a picture of DNA she remembered from one of her classes appeared. Only there was something different about it. She wasn't immediately sure what the difference was.

"But that looks like DNA," Dr. Andrews said, glancing at the scanner and then James. "How did you-"

"Doesn't matter. Take a closer look at the readings," James said nodding at the screen.

Dr. Andrews took a step closer. "Wait, but it's…"

"Not human."

"How?"

"I haven't worked that out yet, but as you can see her child is a full Time Lord."

"You are going to help me, aren't you?" Rose asked.

She'd been trying to wait patiently, but she was hungry and tired. All she really wanted to do was get this over with, grab some lunch and then head back to the flat, but she couldn't leave until she knew where they stood with Dr. Andrews.

"Of course I will," Bruce said, tearing his gaze from the screen and giving her a smile. "I'm going to need to know as much as I can about Time…"

"Time Lords," James supplied.

"Yes, anything you know would be helpful, especially since there are so many internal differences. The more I know the safer I'll feel about treating Rose for anything that may come up."

"I will need to be involved every step of the way. Any procedures, medication, vitamins, tests all need to go through me first," James insisted, protectively.

"Of course."

"I've never seen DNA like that," Dr. Andrews said, looking back at the monitor with interest.

"And you probably never will again. Mine's not entirely human, but not entirely Time Lord either. Two strands, one of each."

"If this one is the baby's then who does the other one belong to?"

"That would be Rose's DNA," James said, offhandedly.

* * *

He wasn't worried about her DNA. She was human. He already knew that. It was the baby's DNA he'd been worried about.

"Then she's not human either, but her DNA doesn't look like the baby's…"

"Sorry…What?" James asked, his eyes snapping to the monitor.

"See here, these two strands appear to be human, but there's a third that wraps around them."

James pulled out his glasses, which were real glasses because his human eyesight wasn't as good as his Time Lord eyesight had been. He bent down and examined Rose's DNA, pushing a few buttons to bring it to the front, while pushing the baby's DNA to the back. But that's…No! That just wasn't… He looked at Rose as his mind tried to work out how that could possibly happen. He turned back to the monitor.

"But that's…that's just not possible."

"What is it?" Dr. Andrews asked.

"Time energy."

"What? What's wrong with me?" Rose asked, fearfully.

"But that just can't happen," James said, still staring at her DNA.

"Doctor," Rose exclaimed.

Her fear cut through his mind. He stood up and turned around.

"What's wrong with me?" she asked.

"It's…your-your DNA has time energy wrapped around it."

"How could that happen?"

Yes, very good question. How could that happen? She traveled in the Time Vortex with him. The Time Vortex! He slapped his forehead. Why didn't he see it before? That must be how she was able to carry the baby. Maybe even why the baby was a full Time Lord, but he couldn't be sure about that, but then that's the only thing that made sense, but what did that mean about her? Was she-

"Doctor," Rose insisted.

Right. He'd been rambling. In his head this time, but she was worried and she needed to know what was going on.

"The Time Vortex, Rose."

"What?"

"Remember when you took the Time Vortex in to save me?"

"And then you took it out of me, yeah?"

"Yes…and no."

"What does that mean?"

"I took it out of you, but…I really should have seen it. I mean, there's no way a human could live with that kind of energy inside of them."

"That's why you took it out. Because it was killing me. It killed you remember?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I don't understand what you two are talking about. Killed him?"

"Right. Sorry about that. It's complicated, but to sum it up I was trapped on a satellite that was being used as a game station and there were Daleks…these alien creatures encased in metal…anyway there were millions of them and they were going to destroy the Earth after they killed me. I sent Rose away to save her, but, well, Rose never stays where I send her. Too jeopardy friendly." Rose slapped his arm. "Anyway, she came back to save me, but before she did she looked into the heart of my TARDIS, which was…well I guess you could say my ship, only she's a living ship and when Rose looked into my TARDIS she took in the Time Vortex, which was probably the only way to save me. Only that's more energy than anyone could hold, but she did hold it, not only held it she used it to destroy all the Daleks, bring Jack back to life and scatter words throughout time and space to lead herself there. I took the Time Vortex out of her, but it killed me."

"But you're alive."

"When Time Lords are close to death they regenerate. They change every cell in their bodies to repair themselves, which means I turned into another man, this one standing in front of you."

"I thought you were half Time Lord."

"I am now, but I wasn't then. Like I said, complicated." He glanced at Rose who was still waiting for an explanation. "Right. Anyway, that's not the point. My point is that even through Time Lords are more resilient than humans it killed me, pretty quickly too, which means you shouldn't have survived as long as you did, but the TARDIS probably knew that. I'm sure she knew that. You wanted to save me, she probably wanted to save me and the only way to accomplish that was for you to do what you did, but the only way for you to do that was for her to make you more resistant to the energy of the Time Vortex by making the time energy part of you. I can't believe I didn't see it before, well, I was kind of busy regenerating and then all those memories got shoved to the back, which is what happens, but still I can't believe-"

"Doctor, what does that mean? Are you saying I'm part time energy?"

"No…no…well, yes, technically. I suppose, but a much better translation would be that you're part TARDIS."

"What?"

He realized, too late, that telling her that in her condition was probably the worst thing he could've done because a moment later her eyes rolled into the back of her head. He caught her before she toppled off the table.

* * *

An hour later Dr. Andrews made his way back to his office, closing the door behind him. After Rose recovered from her fainting spell James drover her home. He checked her over to make sure she was alright because he wanted to make sure the baby was okay. He asked James to explain what he met about the time energy and Time Vortex, but he was put off until tomorrow. Even though he wanted to know he knew better than to push for answers. At least, not yet. He would have to relay what information he had. He walked to his desk and unlocked the bottom drawer then pulled out the cell phone he kept in there and dialed the number.

"Hello?" asked the familiar female voice.

"Madam Vice Pres-" he began.

"I've told you not to address me officially over the phone," she interrupted.

"Yes. I'm sorry." He cleared his throat nervously.

"I assume you're calling for a reason."

"Yes. Your suspicions about James Smith are correct."

"He's an undocumented visitor then?"

"Yes and he was very adamant that no one else find out."

"What do mean? Did he find out you were checking on him?"

"No, he came to me today and told me himself."

"Why would he do that?"

"The girl. The other one you were suspicious of. She's carrying an alien child."

"Is she one of them too?"

"Yes, though I'm not sure what species she is. James is coming in to talk to me tomorrow so hopefully I can find out then."

"Do you know what species he is?"

"Time Lord."

"Time Lord?"

"He said he's half Time Lord, but the child pure."

"Keep an eye on them and report your findings to me tomorrow," she said before disconnecting.

Dr. Andrews put the phone back in the bottom drawer and relocked it. He'd been working for Vice President Alexis Drexler for the last three months, keeping track of the visitors and relaying any useful information he came across. He wasn't sure what she did with the information once he handed it over, but he learned that most of the time not knowing was safer.

* * *

I don't own Doctor Who, any of its Characters, any of its Story Lines, however I do own a fez.

**Thank you to all my brilliant readers and if you have time reviews are always welcome! :)**


	9. Intertwined

Rose sat at their kitchen table with James across from her, eating the Chinese take-out they picked up on their way back to the flat. She couldn't believe she fainted. She'd faced the Gelth, Cybermen, Daleks, even a werewolf and not once had she so much as swayed, let alone fainted.

James told her it was because she hadn't eaten all day and she was probably tired from not getting enough sleep the night before. He thought she was worried about work, but now he knew what she'd been worried about – whether or not she was pregnant. Plus, he blamed himself for the way he treated her, which, for the first time, she didn't argue with because she was still upset with him about that.

"So," she said, breaking the silence that had been between them since they left Torchwood. "Explain to me how this happened again."

"Well, like I said, the only way for you to survive having the Time Vortex running through your head was for the TARDIS to make the time energy part of you."

"So, the TARDIS changed my DNA?"

"Exactly."

"But…I mean, how could she do that?"

"Remember what happened when Blon Fel-Fotch looked into the heart of the TARDIS?"

_Blon Fel-Fotch?_ It took her a minute to remember the incident he was talking about. That was back before they first went to the parallel universe. Before he regenerated into the tenth Doctor.

"That Slitheen who was disguised as Margret Blaine?"

"Right. That's the one. Do you remember what happened to her?"

Margret was holding Rose hostage to force the Doctor to do what she wanted and then there was that light. The same light Rose looked into when she pried off the casing to save the Doctor from the Daleks. Then Margret was gone. All that remained of her were the clothes she was wearing. Only she wasn't gone.

"She…she was turned back into an egg, yeah?"

"Exactly, because she wanted a second chance and so the TARDIS gave her a second chance to live her life. A redo. You, on the other hand, wanted to save me and you knew I couldn't walk away and let the Earth be destroyed so that meant you not only needed to save me, but somehow stop millions of Daleks. So, the TARDIS gave you the power to do that. Only, she couldn't give it to you without changing you. Otherwise you would've died. So, that's what she did. Changed you."

The TARDIS changed her. Added time energy to her DNA. Only, the Doctor said she was part TARDIS.

"What does that mean though? Having time energy part of my DNA?"

"Well, it means that you're connected to the TARDIS."

He looked down and she could tell he was keeping something from her. She'd been through enough that day. She didn't want more secrets between them. Especially if those secrets involved her and possibly her baby.

"And?"

"And…" he rubbed his neck, avoiding eye contact, "…and beyond that I'm…I'm not sure."

Yes, he was definitely hiding something. Well, she wasn't going to have it.

"What are you not telling me?"

"You've been through a lot, Rose. Why don't you try to get some sleep?"

"I am not going to go to bed until you tell me what you're hiding." She caught his eye and could see the concern he felt. She sighed. "Look, I…I know I got a little upset earlier with the…the fainting and all, but honestly I'm fine. I just…I need to know, yeah?"

She took his hand that was resting on the table. His eyes found hers. She could tell that he was still reluctant, but she gave him a meaningful look and he sighed.

"I don't know anything for sure. I won't know without more tests."

"But?" she prodded.

"But…if I had to speculate…mind you this is pure speculation and not founded on anything other than…you know…my own speculations." He ran a hand through his hair nervously. "If you're connected to the TARDIS, like I think you are, then your life is intertwined with hers."

"What do you mean, intertwined?"

"You'll live as long as she does."

"Wait…what?" That…what did that even mean? She would live as long as the TARDIS. "How long does a TARDIS live?"

"A TARDIS can live for thousands of years."

Rose just stared at him as her mind tried to wrap around what he was saying. She would live as long as the Doctor's TARDIS lived and a TARDIS could live for thousands of years. Did that mean…? Yes, of course it did, but that…

"That's impossible."

"I would've agreed with you yesterday, but I've seen your DNA, Rose, I can't deny what I've seen with my own eyes."

"Wait," she said, as a thought suddenly struck her, "That means I can't die until the TARDIS dies, right?"

"That would be my guess."

"Then what happens if I'm shot or I fall down a flight of stairs or something?"

"You'd heal, like Jack, but I wouldn't want to test that theory. This is just speculation."

"But I wouldn't regenerate?"

"No, you're not a Time Lady, although with the time energy you're pretty close to one, but you're also human."

Thinking about Jack and what the Doctor told her about him becoming the Face of Boe started a whole new line of worry for her.

"I'm still going to age, yeah?"

"Oh, I didn't think about that. I'm…I'm not sure, but I can take a look at how your cells are regenerating. That should give me an idea."

"I'm going to…go lay down," she said, getting up and walking into her room.

She couldn't even think about eating. Her mind was too busy worrying about her future. A future she would be spending mostly alone. Her child was a Time Lord so at least they'd be together, but she would lose her mum, dad, Tony, and even James. She was still mad at him, but she knew eventually she'd forgive him. It wasn't his fault he was having a hard time controlling his human emotions. She'd had them her whole life and there were times, like now, when they got the better of her. He'd only been human for a few months. She'd hoped that maybe they could be a family, but how could they now? Especially if she didn't age. She would wind up being a constant reminder of what he used to be. She closed her bedroom door before walking into her bathroom to run the tub. That way he wouldn't hear her tears.

* * *

I don't own Doctor Who, any of its Characters, any of its Story Lines, however I do own a fez.

**Thank you to all my brilliant readers and if you have time reviews are always welcome! :)**


	10. Findings and Reports

At nine o'clock the next morning James knocked on the door to Dr. Andrews' office. Rose was staying home for the day. She was still trying to process everything they found out yesterday, especially the part about the time energy.

"Come in," Dr. Andrews called.

James opened the door and stepped inside.

"Morning," he greeted.

"Good morning, James." Bruce walked around the desk and gestures for James to sit on the couch. "Have a seat." Bruce sat down in a chair across from him as he had done yesterday.

"There's a lot to go over. Where would you like me to begin?" James asked.

"You told me yesterday that you were a Time Lord."

"Half-Time Lord."

"But the child is full Time Lord."

"Yes."

"And you're not the father?"

"No," James replied, feeling that twinge of jealousy again with an undercurrent of anger that he tried to push back down.

"Where is the father?"

"He's…uh…he's gone."

"Not in the picture then?"

"No. He won't be coming back."

"You seem very certain."

"Yes, he…well, you might say I know him better than anyone."

"Is he a relation?"

That was a loaded question. James was trying not to get into specific details. He trusted Dr. Andrews, but all those years as a Time Lord taught him not to reveal everything, even to those he trusted.

"He's my…um…" _Father? _No, James already looked older than Rose and saying something like that would just lead to more questions. "He's my brother, well, half-brother you might say."

"Half-brother?"

"Yes," James agreed, not offering any more of an explanation.

"So, genetically, the child Miss. Tyler is carrying would be your niece or nephew."

James thought about that. Actually, genetically, her child would be his son or daughter, well, from his Time Lord DNA. The Doctor might have regenerated, but that didn't change his DNA, didn't change who he was and since James was also the Doctor, even if he had been created from a previous regeneration, they would still carry the same genetic markers. All of his anger and jealousy seeped out of him at that thought.

"Yes," James said, not even sure what he was replying to because a giddy sense of happiness crept over him at the realization.

"James," Dr. Andrews said, bringing the half-Time Lord out of his thoughts.

"Yes, sorry, I was thinking. What were you asking?"

"I was asking about Miss. Tyler. Yesterday you said that she's part TARDIS."

"Yes."

"But you said the TARDIS was your ship?"

"My _living _ship."

"And the extra strand of DNA is time energy."

James looked away nervously. Had he actually said that? Yes, he had. He was really hoping to avoid long explanations that might reveal too much, like the face that Rose and he were actually from a parallel universe. That he used to travel in space and time. That the Doctor wasn't really his half-brother, but him, only a different him.

"Yes, I…I recall saying that."

"What do you mean, _time energy._"

"Oh, it's…um…" James tried to come up with something that he hoped Dr. Andrews would by that would keep him from having to go into too much detail. "…it's a type of energy my ship ran on."

Bruce stared at him for a moment as if he was trying to decide whether or not that made sense. After a moment he seemed to make up his mind and changed direction with his questions.

"Is that going to affect the baby at all?"

"I don't think so," James said, rubbing his neck, "To be honest I hadn't really thought about it, but the baby seems to be doing fine."

"We'll have to keep her closely monitored then."

"I've already explained that to her. I'm going to run a scan every few days to make sure there aren't any problems. I'll, of course, need to put something together that can run a more thorough scan. Check the progress of all the child's organs as they develop-"

"You can build a device to do all that?"

"Oh, yes. I'll just need to find the right parts, but we work at Torchwood so it shouldn't be too difficult. I'm sure I can have something up and running by tomorrow afternoon."

"By tomorrow?"

"Well, I could have something ready sooner, but I'm going to have to track down all the parts I need and that'll take some time."

"I…um…well, I…"

James smiled at Bruce's stunned look.

"Time Lord brain," James said, tapping the side of his head.

"Yes, well, very impressive. I would like you to show me how to use the device once it's ready. In case anything goes wrong and I…I have to run a scan myself."

"Of course. Rose and her child will be much safer with two of us on the lookout of any problems."

"So…um…what are these internal differences I should be aware of?"

Over the next hour James explained all the biological differences between humans and Time Lords including the second heart, the respiratory system, body temperature, and the brain. Then he spent another half hour answering Dr. Andrews questions, making sure to only reveal what he absolutely had to, with the exception of a couple of times he got sidetracked and might've said more than he should have, but he had gone over a lot of information and Bruce was only human after all so it wasn't like he'd remember everything. James was sure he'd have to repeat the important stuff later. Finally their time was up and he had to get back to some of the tests he was running for Pete before he went in search of the parts he'd need to build the scanner to monitor Rose's child, Rose and _his_ child, he amended, well, genetically anyway.

* * *

Dr. Andrews reached into his pocket and turned off the recorder after James left. Then he waited a good ten minutes to make sure James didn't return before retrieving his phone from the locked drawer and dialing Alexis' number.

"Hello?" Alexis asked.

"Madam Vice…Alexis?" he stammered.

"Yes," she snapped.

"I've just finished talking with James Smith. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by my findings. I can meet one of your men at the usual place tonight to hand over the recording I made."

"Did you find out what species the girl is?"

"I don't think she has a species."

"She doesn't have a species? What is that supposed to mean?"

"From what James told me, it seems she was human, but there was some kind of accident with his ship and her DNA was changed."

"Changed into what?"

"To include time energy."

"What is time energy?"

"I'm not sure. When I asked him about it he became invasive and told me it was the energy his ship ran on, but I'm pretty sure he was hiding something. I can ask him to-"

"Don't bother. I can find out through my sources. I'll send someone to pick up the recording at seven this evening," she said.

"Seven it is," he agreed.

"Very good."

The line disconnected. Dr. Andrews put his phone back in the drawer and locked it. He was pretty sure Alexis was going to move on the couple, but he hoped she would wait a few days. He would like to get a sample of the girl's blood for research purposes before they were gone. He had a feeling that her blood would prove to be very valuable.

* * *

I don't own Doctor Who, any of its Characters, any of its Story Lines, however I do own a fez.

**Thank you to all my brilliant readers and if you have time reviews are always welcome! :)**


	11. The Most Valuable Thing in the Universe

Alexis parked her car next to next to the abandoned building. She didn't like driving through that part of town let alone parking there, but she couldn't let anyone find out that she was meeting with Bordune Kaltarp, also known as the Trader. If her benefactor got wind of what she was doing he might pull out of his agreement and she couldn't let that happen.

The passenger door opened, startling her. Bordune sat down in the seat next to her and she let out a sigh of relief. She was glad he was still using the perception filter that Torchwood gave him when they granted him asylum, taking away the strange ridges that ran up his forehead and the bluish tint to his skin.

He didn't actually need asylum. What he needed was a place to store his merchandise while he located buyers.

She found out about him through one of the visitors who worked for her obtaining information. At first he didn't trust her, but once he realized she could help him they developed a mutually beneficial business relationship. She would point him in the right direction or hand over information and he, in turn, paid her handsomely.

She might be the Vice President now, but she had her sights on the Presidency. Something her benefactor was going to help her with, but even with his assistance it would require a lot of capital and saving herself out a nice little nest egg wouldn't hurt either.

"You said you might have some merchandise for me?" Bordune asked, after closing the door.

"Possibly," she replied. "What do you know about Time Lords?"

Bordune stared at her as if she just sprouted a second head.

"Time Lords?" he asked, slowly.

"Yes."

"Do you have information about them?"

She could see the greed in his eyes and knew her instincts where right.

"I asked what _you_ know about them."

"Time Lords haven't existed for thousands of years. They died out long ago. According to some they were killed off by their own leader in his search to defy death."

"So, there aren't any more Time Lords?"

"No."

"But if there was one," she began and his eyes snapped to hers, "hypothetically speaking. How much would he…or she be worth?"

He recovered from the shock of her question and resumed his salesman persona. The only thing that gave him away was the greed that still danced in his dark eyes, but she noticed it.

"That would depend on certain factors. Age being one of them, but even an old Time Lord would be worth a small fortune."

"And a baby?"

He sat forward, quickly.

"A…baby?"

She smiled at his interest. Yes, she definitely made the right decision.

"If I had access to a Time Lord baby, hypothetically, how much would that child be worth?"

"More than you could imagine."

"I can imagine a lot."

"Not as much as that child would be worth."

"Why would one child be worth that much?" she asked.

"A Time Lord child would be the most valuable thing in the universe."

"Why?"

"Does it matter?"

"No, not really," she replied with a shrug.

It didn't really matter why someone wanted the child, as long as she got paid. More money than she could imagine. She smiled at that thought.

"Do we have an agreement?" he asked.

"Oh, yes, I believe we do."

"I'll need proof."

"Of course. The child won't be born for a few months, but a blood sample should suffice."

"That would be proof enough," he agreed. "How long until the child is born?"

"Six month, but I'll make sure our mother-to-be is well cared for. I will expect our usual payment arrangement."

"Once I locate a buyer, and that won't be very difficult, I'll make sure you receive half your payment up front. I will need the proof beforehand."

"I'll have your proof tomorrow," Alexis said, starting the car.

She waited until he climbed out the passenger side and shut the door. Then she put the car in drive and headed back to her office. Now that she had an agreement with Bordune there were arrangements to make.

She hadn't gotten this far in life without realizing the importance of tying up loose ends. There was a lose end in the form of a doctor who needed tending. She also needed to find an out of the way place to keep the girl. _Six months. _That was a long time, but in the end her investment would pay off and that was worth a little aggravation.

As she parked her car she pulled out her private phone and dialed Alec's number. He was the only one she could trust with this. He was discreet and professional.

"Yes," his familiar deep voice grunted from the other end of the line.

"I have two jobs for you," she said.

"The first one?"

"I need you to take care of Dr. Andrews for me tonight at seven. He's set to meet one of my people in the usual place."

"And?"

"Then I need you to pay a visit to a couple. I'll fax you their pictures and address. Make sure no harm comes to the girl. I need her alive and uninjured, do you understand?"

"Yes."

"I want her brought to the compound."

"And her companion?"

"Make sure he's taken care of. We don't need any lose ends."

"Got it."

She hung up the phone. As soon as she had the girl she could get a blood sample to Bordune and she intended to do that as soon as soon as possible. There was an old government compound that hadn't been used in a few years. It was in the country, miles from anything else. It would be the perfect place to keep her.

* * *

I don't own Doctor Who, any of its Characters, any of its Story Lines, however I do own a fez.

**Thank you to all my brilliant readers and if you have time reviews are always welcome! :)**


	12. Murder

James heard Rose's feet padding across the hardwood floor as he stirred the sauce. He was hoping she would take a little longer. He wanted everything to be done and the table set before she finished her bath.

"What are you up to?" she asked suspicion evident in her voice.

"Dinner," he said, without turning around.

He knew she was still struggling with everything she'd learned, not only about the baby, but about herself as well. So, he came home from work early intent on proving that he meant what he said when he told her he'd be there for her and the baby. He didn't want her to feel like she was alone in this because she wasn't.

Feet padded through the kitchen changing from the soft thud of hardwood to the sharper slap on linoleum. He could feel her behind him as she looked at the boiling and simmering pots on the stove.

"Dinner?" Still with the suspicion.

"Dinner."

"But you can't cook."

"Never said I couldn't cook."

He could feel her thinking. Mulling over his answer, but he knew she couldn't find any fault with it because he never said he couldn't cook. He might have led her to believe that because, well, she was so domestic and back when he was a Time Lord he always made sure she believed he didn't do domestic. It was part of that wall that kept her on one side and him on the other. Of course she never knew his wall was just as weak as a line in the sand when it came to her, which is how she crossed it so easily after Mickey stayed in the parallel universe. The universe they were left in. Not only had she lost Mickey, but she felt as if she'd lost her dad all over again when parallel Pete walked away from her and even though the other Jackie wasn't her mum, not her real mum, finding out that she'd been converted into a Cyberman was more than she could take. She'd been so alone and he had been alone for too long. If it had been anyone else, but Rose he could've kept control of himself, but she was crying and he was holding her…

A punch to his shoulder brought him out of his thoughts.

"Oi, what was that for?" he asked, nearly dropping the spoon in the sauce.

He turned around.

"That was for all those times _I_ had to make dinner."

"Oh," he said, running a hand through his hair, grateful he hadn't used the one with the spoon in it as he realized he was still holding it. "I…uh…I thought you liked cooking me dinner."

"That's not the point."

"Well, I…um…" He glanced at her and realized she was smiling, which made him smile because she was teasing him. _Teasing is definitely good. _"Oh, you."

"So, what are you making? I'm starving."

"Salmon, butter sauce, and squash."

"Squash?" she asked, crinkling her nose.

"It's good for the baby."

He could tell from the look on her face that she wasn't at all enthused about any of the aforementioned foods, but he was prepared for that.

"And since I know you'll eat all the healthy stuff, because that's the type of mum I know you'll be, I've made chips too."

"Chips!" she exclaimed, nearly bouncing on her heels.

He laughed.

"Do you think I'd make dinner for Rose Tyler and forget the chips? I've already been slapped by your mum once."

She suddenly stopped and looked at him, making James wonder if he said something wrong. Then she broke out in that oh so Rose smile, which made him smile back.

"Mum. I'm going to be a mum."

Her smile faltered as worry crossed her eyes and he wanted nothing more than to banish that look forever so, without thinking, he pulled her into a hug.

"You are going to be the best mum in the universe. Do you know why?"

"Why?" she asked, returning his hug, which made his smile broaden.

"Because you are Rose Tyler and Rose Tyler is the best at everything."

He had to release her a moment later because the sauce was starting to boil and it wasn't supposed to. He put her to work setting the table as he finished up dinner. He was glad she was starting to forgive him because in a few months they would be a family. He would, of course, have to explain everything to Rose once things smoothed over between them, but he knew she would understand, after all she was brilliant and no one could argue with genetics.

* * *

Dr. Andrews pulled the small recording device out of his pocket and fidgeted with it nervously as he waited in the parking garage. He hated meeting her people like this. He knew she wouldn't chance anywhere that wasn't safe, but he was always worried that someone at Torchwood might catch on.

He wasn't entirely sure what was going on with that girl and her baby. He didn't believe the story James told him about an absent father. Plus, there was Director Tyler to consider. He was trying to pass the girl off as his daughter and the whole reason Alexis had become suspicious in the first place was because the girl seemed to appear out of nowhere, which meant that she couldn't be Director Tyler's daughter because as far as they could find she didn't exist before a few years ago. Therefore, the Director had to be in on whatever was going on.

He could take a sample of her DNA later and run an analysis. He was pretty sure she was a clone of some sort. Maybe something went wrong with the cloning process and that's why her DNA was so strange. The Director might have used his own DNA, which would make her his daughter in a way, but he wasn't sure whether the child growing inside of her was intentional or not. He suspected it was. The story James gave him about time energy didn't seem right. Perhaps she was some experiment between the Director and James. They were close.

He wouldn't have a lot of time left at Torchwood. He knew Alexis wanted to move on the girl, but he could collect samples before he cleared out and look around James' lab for any information about his experiment.

He heard movement to his right and turned in time to hear the sound of a gunshot.

* * *

Alec fired the shot, smiling in satisfaction as the bullet hit its mark. A bewildering look of surprise froze on Dr. Andrews face as his body slumped to the concrete. One job down and one to go. He slipped the gun into the back of his waistband, making sure that his light jacket concealed it. Then he made his way down to the second floor where he parked his black truck.

Alexis had faxed him the address along with pictures of the couple. He'd already driven to their flat and walked around the outside, taking into account any possible exits. He counted four windows. Three could be used as exits, the fourth was much too small and he assumed it was for a bathroom. There was a balcony with a thick pipe nearby that ran the length of the posh building. Usually he wouldn't think twice about it, but luckily he'd run his own check on the couple. They both worked for Torchwood. The bloke was some sort of scientist, very posh. The girl on the other hand had gone on a lot of mission, not so many lately, but up until a few months ago she'd been on at least one mission a week, if not more. Near misses too. Very dangerous, but she always managed to make it out.

He climbed into his truck and shut the door, glancing at her picture in the passenger seat before he started the engine. He wished Alexis wanted the bloke instead of her. Alec would've liked to keep her around for a few days. Of course he'd have to kill her in the end. That is what Alexis hired him for, but those couple days would've been some fun.

He turned right as he headed out of the parking garage. He needed to pick up a few things at his flat before he paid the couple a visit. He wanted to make sure he was ready for any surprises the girl might through at him.

* * *

Pete swirled the drink in his hand. Jacks was putting Tony to bed and in her absence his mind turned back to the problem that he'd been trying to sort out for the past two weeks. There was a mole at Torchwood and so far he hadn't been able to figure out who it was. It had to be someone with access to the visitors or their files, which narrowed it down to about fifty employees. A few of the visitors he'd given asylum to vanished without a trace and the others were keeping tight lipped. He had to find out who it was and soon, before something happened to any more of them.

The phone in his pocket rang, bringing him out of his thoughts. He pulled it out and answered.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Director Tyler, there's been an incident," said the gruff voice of Captain Mason, who headed the taskforce.

"What sort of incident?"

"Dr. Andrews was found shot in the parking garage at the Chambers Hotel about a half hour ago. I've taken jurisdiction over the incident."

"Do you know what he was doing there?"

"He wasn't checked in and after a search of his car we weren't able to locate any luggage."

"Sounds like he might've been meeting someone."

"That's a possibility. We found a handheld recording device under his body, but it was badly damaged."

"A recording device?" Pete mused. "Send it to the lab and let them know I'm on my way."

"Will do."

Pete hung up and returned his phone to his pocket. He knew Jacks wouldn't be happy with him leaving this late, but he wanted to know what was on that recording device. If Dr. Andrews was the mole then he'd rather find out sooner so he could have the doctor's office searched.

* * *

Rose popped another chip in her mouth, trying to figure out how James managed to make them taste exactly like the ones in her favorite shop back home. Her home in the other universe, before everything went wrong.

"Are you sure you don't want me to help with the dishes?" she asked, as he began scrubbing the pots.

"No, you just sit there and enjoy your chips," he said, throwing her a smile over his shoulder.

"I am. They're gorgeous."

"So, we're on for Friday?"

"Yeah," she said, trying not to let her mood darken.

She hadn't told her parents about the baby yet and, honestly, she wasn't looking forward to it. Not because she wasn't happy about it. She was, happy about it, but she didn't look forward to the way her mum was going to react.

She knew her mum wasn't going to be impressed when she found out her grandchild was a Time Lord and then there was the whole time energy thing and the fact that Rose wasn't entirely human anymore. James suggested they go over together, have dinner with her parents, and then tell them, which is what they planned to do Friday evening.

"I-" But she never found out what he was going to say because in the next moment he stumbled forward, dropping the pan with a loud clatter into the sink, grabbing onto the counter with one hand while reaching toward his back with the other.

"James!" Rose yelled, standing up to run to him.

Strong hands seized her from behind. She screamed, kicking at whoever held her. One arm wrapped around her chest, pinning her arms to her sides. She thrashed around, trying to get her attacker to let go of her. Then she felt a cloth covering her mouth and nose. There was a strong odor coming from it and in the next moment her eyelids grew heavy. _Doctor! _The name exploded in her mind, but it couldn't keep her body from succumbing to the effects of whatever was on the cloth. The room swam and then the darkness took her.

* * *

"Director Tyler, I was able to recover some of the recording," Casey, a young tech called out.

Pete turned from the conversation he was in and walked over to Casey's desk. Pete arrived at Torchwood almost any hour ago and he'd been waiting, impatiently, to find out what was on the hand-held recording device they recovered with Dr. Andrews' body.

"Let's hear it," Pete said.

Casey pressed a button. Wavy lines flitted across the screen accompanied by a voice.

"I'm half-Time Lord."

The recording stopped, but Pete's mind kept turning. _James? _What the hell was Dr. Andrews doing with a recording of James' voice?

"Why did it stop?" Pete asked.

"That's all I've managed to repair. The rest of the recording is too damaged."

Dr. Andrews had a recording of James' voice. What did that mean? Why would he even have it? If he was spying…on visitors and James was…not a visitor, but if the doctor knew James wasn't human, which he obviously did then… He thought about all the visitors who had gone missing. _No! _

"Captain Mason," Pete called, turning away from Casey's desk. "You and your team with me."

Mason fell into step behind Pete as he crossed the room and headed out the door. Six other men trailed them. Pete didn't pay any attention to them. He was thinking about the danger that James and Rose were in.

* * *

I don't own Doctor Who, any of its Characters, any of its Story Lines, however I do own a fez.

**Thank you to all my brilliant readers and if you have time reviews are always welcome! :)**


	13. Not the Doctor

A familiar sound roused James. _Can't be. _As he opened his eyes the sound faded. _Hallucinating. _He could feel his body losing blood with each beat of his heart. _My brain must be suffering from lack of blood._

He could feel the bullet inside of him. It entered through his back and nicked the lower, left chamber of his heart. Not enough to kill him right away and he was pretty sure his body was trying to heal itself, only, he healed at a much slower rate, not as slow as a human, but it would take time for his body to repair, time he didn't have. He couldn't even be sure he would heal fast enough to keep his body from dying.

He pulled himself up to a sitting position. Pain lanced through his chest with each movement, but he had to get to a phone. Had to call Pete and give him a description. Their attacker's image was etched into his mind's eye. With all of Torchwood at his disposal Pete should be able to find the guy and in turn find Rose.

He heard footsteps and looked up to find a man walking through the kitchen. Not their attacker, but a man he'd never seen before. He wore a black suit, similar to a tuxedo, but without the bowtie. His jacket was heavier and longer. He must have heard the gunshot and came in to check or he could be a detective, but then how long had it been since Rose was taken? Was he lying on the floor unconscious for minutes…hours? No, couldn't be hours. He'd either be healed or dead by now.

"The…the phone…I…I need the phone," James insisted through gasps of pain.

Every word was torture and he realized that his lung on the left side must have been damaged too. _Stupid human body. _Too many organs all clustered together.

"Now, this is interesting," the man said, crouching down in front of James.

They stared at each other for a moment. What was this bloke doing? Even if he called someone James still needed the phone. Needed to call Pete. He was about to ask for the phone again when his realized that the man wasn't looking at him with concern. Instead he was gazing at James with curiosity, as if he hadn't seen anything like him before.

The man reached out and grabbed James' face, turning it from one side to the other as if examining his features.

"It's you…"

James pulled his face out of the man's grip.

"Who are you?" James asked as he tried to force his body to ignore the pain.

"Oh, this is fantastic!" he exclaimed, ignoring James' question. "I've been looking for you for a very long time and here you are living in a flat, a nice flat, but still…so where is it?"

_Looking for him? _Why was he looking for James?

"Where is…is what?"

"Don't play games with me."

"I…" James sat up a bit more, wincing at the pain in his chest. "I don't know what…you're talking about."

"Your TARDIS, Doctor. Where is your TARDIS?"

_Doctor? _He thought James was the Doctor, but that meant… How could he know about the Doctor? They were in a parallel universe. The Doctor didn't exist here.

"I'm not the Doctor."

"I've seen that face, your face, don't try to lie to me."

"I'm not…lying. I'm…I'm not the Doctor. Please, I need the phone…I need to call…"

But before he could tell the man who he needed to call the bloke's hands shot out to either side of James' head. He felt the man force his way into his mind. _What the hell? _He shouldn't be able to do that.

"You're…a biological meta-crisis…a _human_ biological meta-crisis-"

"Stop!" James yelled trying to pull out of the man's grip, but his body was growing weaker with each passing minute.

"If you're a meta-crisis then where is the Doctor?"

James felt memories resurface. The man was digging around, trying to find what he was searching for, trying to find the Doctor.

"Get…get out!"

"He's…he's…"

James tried to shut his memories away. He wasn't sure who the man was, but he couldn't let him root around for information about the Doctor.

"Do you really think you can hide things from me? You're not strong enough."

James tried to hold the doors shut, but the man was right. He wasn't strong enough, not while his body tried to heal. The doors burst open and he was buried in an onslaught of memories.

"He's not here…he left you here and went back through a gap in the walls of reality, but…wait…he didn't leave you here alone…he left you with-"

"No!" James yelled. "Get out!"

With every ounce of strength he had, he pushed the man's mind. Pushed him back…back…and suddenly he was inside another mind. The man's mind, but no, not a man. He was…James' eyes snapped open. How? How could he be there? Then, with the force of a tidal wave he crashed back into his own mind.

"Nice try, but I'm afraid you're just not strong enough," the man said with a smirk, before closing his eyes to concentrate.

"Stop," James pleaded, too drained to yell.

"A girl…he left you with a girl…a human…but not just any human…the Doctor's…Oh, this is fantastic!…the Doctor's in love with her…and she's…oh…she's with child, a Time Lord child…and the Doctor doesn't know…oh that is marvelous," he said with glee.

"Please."

"The Doctor's child…fantastic! I could…but wait…what is that?"

"No!"

Adrenaline flooded through James' veins. He reached up and grabbed the man's hands, pulling them away from his face.

"You think you can fight me? _Me?_"

"For her? Yeah," James said, gritting his teeth through the pain as he stood up, holding onto the counter for support. He couldn't let the man find out about the time energy, about how Rose changed. He would want to use her and James couldn't let that happen.

The man got to his feet, facing James.

"Are you actually deluded enough to think you stand a chance against me?"

"I supposed I am," James said, but his legs wavered, betraying him.

"You were shot through the chest, damaging both your _human_ heart and your lungs, you've been bleeding out, I'm sure your vision has started to blur, if not, it soon will and still you're fighting me?"

"I will fight you to my last breath if it means keeping you away from her."

"Fascinating," he mused, staring at James for a moment. "The thing is, I already have enough information. Whatever you're hiding I can find out from her."

"Stay away from her," James growled, launching himself at the man.

In the next moment the man grabbed James, spun him around, and slammed him into the wall next to the doorway. The man pressed his arm against James' throat, glaring into the half-Time Lord's brown eyes with a burning hatred.

"You are insignificant. Not even an echo of an actual Time Lord."

"Stay away from her!"

"I take what I want and right now I want her and _his_ child and there is nothing, NOTHING, you can do to stop me."

James struggled, trying to free himself as his vision swam.

"Don't you dare touch her!"

"Fascinating. You sound just like him." The man leaned in so their faces were nearly touching. "I just want you to understand that when I find her, and I will find her, I'll discover what you're hiding and I'll make sure that the Doctor never sees her again.

What did that mean? Was he going to kill her? Not if he found out about the time energy. Unless…he couldn't use her. Then he very likely would kill her.

"Please, don't," James rasped as he struggled to breathe under the pressure of the man's arm against his throat.

"I just wanted you to know that, before I kill you," the man hissed before giving James one final, shove with his arm and stepping back.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a blaster. Then he pointed it at James and with a hollow laugh, fired the weapon.

* * *

I don't own Doctor Who, any of its Characters, any of its Story Lines, however I do own a fez.

**Thank you to all my brilliant readers and if you have time reviews are always welcome! :)**


	14. Body at the Flat

Thank you for all the great reviews so far!

I promise you'll find out who the mysterious man is soon and what's going on with Rose.

* * *

Pete raced down the hall with Mason and his men trailing behind. When he saw the open door his heart dropped as panic seized him. He raced through the entrance.

"Rose! James!" he called.

The living room was empty. He ran into Rose's room, calling her name again. She wasn't in her room and the open door to the master bath told him she wasn't in there either.

"Director!" Mason yelled.

He turned and ran through the living room and into the kitchen where Mason stood. Pete's eyes fell on a still figure crumpled on the ground. _James! _He watched Mason bend down and feel for a pulse.

"Is he…?" Pete asked.

"Dead. Bullet wound most likely from the trail of blood."

Pete followed Mason's nod and saw the pool of blood near the sink and then a trail of dark droplets that led to where James' body now lay. Someone must have broke in and attacked them, but…Pete looked around the room…where was Rose?

"Looks like he put up a fight," Mason continued.

"We need to find my daughter."

Mason stood up, snapping into action.

"Norton," he called into the living room.

A burly man with wiry brown hair walked into the room.

"Sir?" Norton asked.

"Go down to the office. There are cameras in the halls and elevator. Get all the footage and take it back to Torchwood. I'm assigning you Second Captain. You need to set up a base of operation at Torchwood."

"Yes, sir," Norton said, before walking away to carry out his orders.

"We need to take James' body back to Torchwood," Pete said, suddenly realizing how dangerous it would be if the authorities got hold of him.

"Sir?" Mason asked.

"Just do it."

Pete walked away, pulling out his phone as Mason barked orders at more of his men. He vaguely heard the words _body bag _and _cleaning fluid _as he stepped into the hall. He didn't want to call Jacks, didn't want to wake her up with this kind of news, but she would be furious if he waited. It was a damned if he did, damned if he didn't situation.

After four rings she finally answered.

"Pete?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

"Hi, luv," he said, rubbing the back of his head with his hand.

"What're you calling this late for?"

"It's James."

"James?" She paused and he could almost hear her heartbeat rise. "Something happened. What is it? What's wrong?"

"He-he's dead. Shot."

"Shot? Where? Was Rose with him? Oh, my God! Is she alright? Tell me she's alright!"

"He was shot in their flat."

He heard her breath in sharply.

"Is Rose hurt? I'm getting dressed. Where are you?"

"Jacks, Rose isn't here."

"Where is she, Pete. Where's my daughter?"

"I don't know. I…I think someone took her."

"Took her? Why?"

"I don't know, but I'm working on it. Jacks, I'll find her. If I have to search hell itself I'll find her. I'll find our daughter."

"Are you at Torchwood?"

"Not yet, but I'm headed there. Why?"

"I'm getting dressed and coming down."

"You should stay at the house with Tony."

"I'll wake the housekeeper. She can keep an ear out for him."

"Jacks, there isn't anything you can do."

"I'm coming and that's final," she insisted.

He sighed. She was coming and there wasn't anything he could do to stop her. She'd always been stubborn like that.

"Fine. I'll meet you there."

He put his phone back in his pocket and walked down the hall to the elevator. He wasn't sure why James was killed and Rose was taken. The visitors who were attacked had gone missing. None of them had been killed as far as he knew, at least, they hadn't found any bodies. And why Rose? She wasn't a visitor. She was human. His daughter, well, his daughter from a parallel universe, but still… It didn't make any sense.

As soon as they got the video footage if the attacker left the same way he…or she…entered, through the front door, they should be able to identify him or her. All they needed was an address, somewhere to start. Find the attacker and they should be able to find Rose. He just hoped they wouldn't be too late. The attacker was obviously capable of murder.

* * *

Jackie tried, for the third time, to button her blouse, but her hands were shaking so much that she couldn't get the bloody button through the hole. A knock on her open door startled her and she nearly ripped the button off the silk fabric.

"Mrs. Tyler?" Anna, the housekeeper asked.

She was an older woman with a well formed figure and grey hair that she kept up in a messy bun.

"Yes, what is it?" Jackie snapped.

Anna paused and Jackie felt bad. She didn't talk to Anna or any of the people who worked for them like that. It was the one thing that made her different from this universe's Jackie Tyler.

"I'm sorry, dear. It's just…this bloody blouse. I can't get it buttoned," Jackie apologized.

"Let me help you," Anna said, stepping into the room and walking over to her.

"You said it was an emergency. Can I ask…? I mean, I know I have no right, but it's not…"

"Anna, I told you before, you've been working here forever and as far as I'm concerned you're family. You and your husband. You have every right to ask. It's…it's Rose and James…they… Oh, God," her voice broke, "James is dead and my daughter, she's…she's missing. Someone took my little girl."

She looked at Jackie for a moment and then with an almost grandmotherly instinct, pulled Jackie into a hug.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Tyler."

"I just don't understand why someone would do that."

Anna released her and stepped back, thinking.

"Do you think they want money?"

"Money?" Jackie asked, as if she had no idea what Anna was talking about.

"Well, you have a lot of it." She gestured at the meticulously decorated bedroom. "And there are people who would do such things to get some of it."

"A ransom?"

Jackie hadn't even thought of that. Probably because she'd never had money like this. Not until Pete saved her and brought her to the parallel world. Back in her universe Pete's daft ideas never took off and he died when Rose was a tot, but here his ideas flourished. He became rich and now that she was married to him she was rich too making Rose and Tony their heirs.

If that was true then she'd give up every dime they had to get Rose back. Was that what Pete was doing at Torchwood? Was he waiting for a phone call?

* * *

I don't own Doctor Who, any of its Characters, any of its Story Lines, however I do own a fez.

**Thank you to all my brilliant readers and if you have time reviews are always welcome! :)**


	15. The Eyes of Death

There will be more about Rose in the next chapter and more about the mysterious man. There's a few hints about him in this chapter.

Any guesses about who he is?

* * *

Rose came to as someone tried to pick her up. Her hands were bound and there was something over her eyes, she guessed a blindfold. She struggled, kicking at whoever it was.

"Let me go!" she yelled.

"I'll have none of that," a gruff, male voice ordered.

In the next second a sharp slap stung her cheek and brought tears to her eyes. Momentarily stunned she allowed herself to be pulled from what she assumed was some kind of vehicle. The minute her feet connect with the ground she started thrashing around again. Her only thought was to get away, as far away as she could.

"You will behave."

The man grabbed her arm and drug her along, nearly pulling her arm out of its socket. If he thought he was going to scare her he had another thing coming. She'd faced Daleks and Cybermen, did he really think she was scared of a human? Besides, if James was right she couldn't be killed. She'd only die when the Doctor's TARDIS died. _If he's right. _She shoved the thought aside. No point wondering about that now.

"Who are you? What the hell do you want with me?" she demanded.

He stopped and she felt him lean away for a moment.

"What I want," She felt one of his fingers slide across her cheek, making her cringe in disgust, "isn't important. I was hired to do a job."

"Someone hired you to kidnap me?"

"Someone hired me to kill your mate and bring you here."

_Kill? _She remembered the way James slumped over at the sink, dropping the pan. Was he dead?

"Why?" she whispered.

"I don't ask questions."

He killed James and took her and he didn't even know why he was doing it. He probably didn't even care as long as he got paid.

"Who hired you?"

He laughed.

"You really think I'm going to tell you?"

No, but it was worth a shot. So, someone hired him to kill James and bring her…where?

"Where are we?"

"Very out of the way place. Don't worry. No one will find you here."

"Then you don't know much about my family."

"You mean your father, Director Tyler? Oh, I know all about your family. Not even Torchwood can touch the person who hired me. So, if I were you, I wouldn't hold out any hope of being rescued."

A bell chimed and then she heard the sound of a lift opening. She was shoved forward and then strong hands grabbed her. The man who attacked her released his hold.

"It's been a pleasure," he said as she was pulled into the lift before the doors slid closed.

She struggled with her new captors. One on each side. She couldn't see them, but they stood close enough to her, each one holding one of her arms. The one on her left shifted and a moment later she felt a sharp stab in her neck. She let out a cry as she lost consciousness.

* * *

Alexis was halfway to her car when her private phone began to ring. Good. The girl must have arrived. She pulled the cell out of her pocket and answered it.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Um…Miss…Miss. Drexler?" a timid male voice asked.

She sighed. He sounded young. Probably new to the compound. What the hell was he doing calling her? She usually dealt with Captain Grant. That's why she put him in charge.

"Where's Captain Grant?"

"He's…um…he's dealing with a situation-"

"What situation?" she snapped.

_A situation? _It better not have anything to do with the girl. If something happened to her all that money… She'd have their heads. All of them!

"He told me to call you because…um…it's just that-"

She was about to yell at the stupid intern or whatever he was when she heard movement from the other end of the line.

"Alexis?" Grant's smooth voice asked.

"Yes. What the hell is going on?"

"There's been a bit of a situation, but it's taken care of now."

"What situation?" she yelled.

"I sent two of the lab techs up when the girl arrived. While they were bringing her back down she began struggling with them and one of them gave her something to help her calm down."

"Gave her something?" Alexis would've strangled him if they'd been in the same room. "I told you she's pregnant! If anything happens to her child I'll hold you personally responsible and I'm quite sure you know what that means."

"He assured me it was used often on pregnant woman. It should've been harmless."

"Should've been?"

"She's fine, now. I had the doctor run a check on her and the baby. They're both fine."

"What the hell happened?"

"She…she stopped breathing."

"She WHAT?"

"Only for a minute or two. She was fine by the time we rushed her to the med lab."

"Don't give her anything again. DO YOU HEAR ME?"

"But what if…?"

"I don't care if she stabs the doctor…hell, I don't care if she stabs you in the neck. Don't you dare give her anything again! Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-Yes. Perfectly clear."

"Good. I'll see you when I get there."

She hung up and slid her phone back in her pocket while she opened her car door. She told Grant. Warned him if anything happened to that girl being fired would be the least of his worries. The child she was carrying met more to Alexis than anyone else on the planet.

As she started the car she realized that she may have made a mistake getting rid of Dr. Andrews so soon. She should've sent him to the compound. Hindsight. She wondered if Bordune knew more about Time Lords. Maybe she should check with him.

* * *

Alec stepped into his flat, closing the door behind him. He flipped on the light and froze. A man dressed in a black suit and white dress shirt sat in a chair facing him. He looked to be in his late twenties to early thirties. Roughly, the same age as Alec, but who the hell was he?

Instinctively, Alec reached for the gun in his waistband. He saw the man point something at him that looked like a remote to unlock car doors. He pulled the gun from behind his back, but in the next moment pain flared through his body. It felt like his skin was burning. He screamed, unable to keep his grip on the gun. It clattered to the floor as his back arched. Then the pain was gone. _What the hell? _

"I have a few questions for you," the man said.

Alec looked at the gun. Could he get to it and fire off a shot before the man used that thing on him again? Pain flared through his body. He screamed. When he was released he glared at the man.

"Who the hell are you?" Alec snapped.

"Ingenious device, don't you think," the man said, standing up. "Targets the pain center of the brain."

"Who are you?"

"I've had many names over the years. Most of which your tiny human mind couldn't even fathom, but if you must call me something I suppose you could call me The Benefactor, but that's not what you should be asking."

_The Benefactor? _Was he the benefactor Alexis talked about? Did she send him to take care of Alec? She did have a tendency to tie up loose ends. Did she consider Alec a loose end? He had to keep the guy talking and work out a way to get the hell out of there.

"What should I be asking then?"

"You should be asking…Am I going to make it out of this room alive? Because I can only see this going one of two ways."

The Benefactor stepped closer. Alec moved to step back, but the man pointed the device at him warningly.

"What ways?"

"Either you tell me what I want to know and then I kill you or I take the information from you and then I kill you."

"Why would I tell you if you're just going to kill me anyway?"

"It's all in the way you die. Quickly or…" he pressed the button on the device and pain flared through Alec's body. "…slow and painful. It's your choice. Although I do enjoy watching you suffer." He laughed.

"What…" Alec panted after the man released him from the torture, "What do you want to know?"

"The girl. Tell me where she is."

Wait. He didn't know where the girl was. So, he wasn't working with Alexis or, at least, he wasn't working with Alexis on this. He was looking for the girl for himself. Well, Alec wasn't going to help him.

"No," Alec snapped, diving for his gun.

Pain flared through his body. He tried to fight it as he dropped to his knees, but The Benefactor kicked the gun out of the way. Then bent down next to him, still pressing the button.

"Slow and painful then. Brilliant!"

When Alec was released from the pain he looked into the man's merciless green eyes and saw nothing but darkness. A chill ran down his spine as he realized that he wasn't looking into the eyes of a man. He was looking into the eyes of death. His death.

* * *

I don't own Doctor Who, any of its Characters, any of its Story Lines, however I do own a fez.

**Thank you to all my brilliant readers and if you have time reviews are always welcome! :)**


	16. Taking Charge

This chapter took a bit longer to write than I anticipated, sorry about that. I'll have Rose in the next chapter. I needed to round Alexis up first.

* * *

Alexis pulled into the compound's underground parking garage. She would have to do something about Grant. She couldn't have any more mistakes, not with that much money on the line. That child was her future. Everything was riding on this and the last thing she was going to do was let some idiot botch things up.

She pulled into her parking space and cut the engine. Grant needed a lesson and she was intent on giving him one. She opened the door and stepped out of the car.

"You've been a bad girl, Madam Vice President," a familiar voice echoed through the garage.

Alexis froze. _The Benefactor. _How did he find her? She quickly hid her shock and spread her lips into a fake grin as she turned around. He was standing behind her car, giving her a stony gaze.

"I-"

"Wasn't expecting me? Didn't think I'd find you way out here in the middle of nowhere?" He stepped closer, threateningly.

She held her ground. She hadn't gotten this far in life by letting people manipulate her. Even if he was dangerous, which he was very dangerous, she wasn't going to cower in front of him.

"No, I-"

"I thought we had an understanding. I help you become the Vice President and you provide me with information about all of the visitors. I fulfilled my end of the agreement, but you've gone back on yours."

"I've given you information on all the visitors."

"What about the girl, the one you have locked up in the compound?"

"Technically she isn't a visitor."

He laughed. The hollow sound sent a chill down her spine.

"You're going to argue technicalities with me?"

The child was worth far too much for Alexis to let him swoop in and take her prize away from her. She did all the work. She found the child, she sent someone to retrieve the girl, she hid the girl away in a secret compound. He wasn't going to come in and take what was rightfully hers.

"I don't-"

"Here's what's going to happen. You're going to call whoever's in charge and tell them you can't make it, but you're sending me in your place. Not only that, but you're putting me in charge of the entire compound. You'll only liaison with me from now on."

That certainly wasn't going to happen. She almost laughed in his face, but the look in his eyes stopped her.

"And if I refuse?"

"Oh, Alexis, did you forget what I'm capable of? This is your one chance to save yourself," he leaned down and whispered the last bit in her ear, "You should take it."

He leaned back and locked eyes with her. She could see the darkness in his soul and it shook her. This wasn't about money anymore. It was about survival. She stepped back and pulled out her phone. She waited through two rings before someone picked up.

"Hello?" Grant asked.

"Grant, I've had a…situation develop, but I'm sending someone else in my place," she said.

"Someone else?"

"Yes. He's a…business associate of mine." She glanced at The Benefactor. He was watching her every move. "I probably won't make it down for a while so I'm putting him in charge of things."

"Who is he?"

She covered the speaker with her free hand. "He wants to know who you are."

"Tell him I'm…John. Dr. John Chambers."

_Doctor? _She shrugged.

"Dr. John Chambers."

"You're putting a Doctor in charge?"

"Yes. Do you have a problem with that?" she asked in a cold voice.

"N-no, madam."

"Good. He should be arriving soon and any other communications I send will go through him."

She hung up before he could protest and slipped her phone back in her pocket. If _John_ thought she was going to let that child go so easily he was wrong. She'd let him be in charge if that's what he wanted, for now. She had six months to find a way to get the girl out of there.

"If we're done I'd like to go home now," she said, turning around to open her car door.

"Not just yet," he said, grabbing her hand and turning her back around.

* * *

Dr. John Chambers, who wasn't really Dr. John Chambers, but it would work for now, put his hands on her temples to establish the connection.

"What are you-"

He silenced her protests. Humans were so easy to control. He searched for all instances of the girl and the child. The first one he came across was her meeting with The Trader. He would need to be dealt with. John filed that under things to do later and moved on.

The next was a phone conversation with Alec. He'd already taken care of the hitman so he moved on to a phone conversation with Dr. Andrews. He knew Andrews was dead because he'd seen that in Alec's mind. _Wait. What was that? _He went back to the conversation with Dr. Andrews. _Time energy? _There was an accident with the TARDIS that changed the girl's DNA. That's fantastic! Did the Doctor know? No, of course he didn't, otherwise he wouldn't have left her there unless…he thought she was dangerous. He hoped she was. That would be brilliant! If she wasn't maybe he could make her dangerous.

He reigned in his enthusiasm and concentrated on finding the rest of Alexis' memories of the girl and her child. When he'd erased all traces of them he gave Alexis her instructions, starting small to make sure nothing went wrong.

_Pull the phone out of your pocket. _Her hand slid into her pocket and then she pulled the phone out. _Drop it on the ground. _The phone clattered to the cement. _When I step back you're going to get in your car and drive home. You're never going to call or visit the compound again. You're not even going to think about it because thinking about it will make you sick. If anyone from the compound ever contacts you, you won't want to talk to them. _He took his hands off her temples and stepped back.

She didn't even look at him. Instead, she got in her car. He kicked her phone under her front tire before she drove away. It would've been easier to kill her, but he didn't have anywhere else to keep the girl while she was pregnant. Once the child was born he could manipulate her into cooperating, but at the moment he didn't have anything to hold over her.

* * *

I don't own Doctor Who, any of its Characters, any of its Story Lines, however I do own a fez.

**Thank you to all my brilliant readers and if you have time reviews are always welcome! :)**


	17. TARDIS Rose

Rose is in this chapter as I promised. And for those of you wondering about 11 don't worry he'll return to the story soon and Jack will be appearing in the soon too.

* * *

The doors of the lift slid open and the first thing John noticed was the rather large, stocky man with almond skin wearing a military dress uniform. _Must be Captain Grant. _

"Dr. Chambers," Grant said in greeting.

"Just Chambers or John or John Chambers. None of that doctor nonsense," John said.

"Chambers then."

"Fine, whatever. Where's the girl?"

"I'm going to need to see some ID."

"Very well," John said, reaching into his top pocket and pulling out a wallet. He showed Grant a paper that transformed into identification regarding one Dr. John Chambers with all the officialness that went along with it.

"Thank you, sir."

Grant saluted, making John roll his eyes. He didn't want to play along with this stupid ape. His mind was fixed on one goal. Find the girl and determine what she was and how he could use her.

"The girl?" John asked.

"Yes, sorry sir, this way," Grant said, turning around and leading John down the hall.

When he found out about the time energy his plan of taking the girl and her child then tormenting the Doctor by letting him know that John had them changed. The child was secondary. He intended to find out exactly what sort of accident caused the girl's DNA to change and what that meant. He wanted to know what sort of power she possessed and how he could use that power to achieve his ultimate end – the Doctor's death.

He hated the Doctor. Had hated him for a long time. Hated the implications of his name name. The Doctor. The one who went around fixing things. Idiot.

They stopped in front of a door that looked exactly like all the other doors in the hall. Grant typed a sequence of numbers on the keypad that John quickly memorized. When the door slid open Grant moved to step inside, but John halted him.

"I'll go in alone," John said.

"But, sir-" Grant started to protest.

"I'm in charge now, which means your orders come from me and I'm ordering you to stay out here. Do you have a problem with that?" he asked, giving Grant a penetrating stare.

"No, sir."

John could see the fear in the man's eyes. The same fear most people got when he locked eyes with them. He smiled.

"Brilliant. Now, I might be a while so if you have something else to do I suggest you take care of it."

Grant hesitated for a moment then saluted and walked back down the hall the way they came. John stepped inside the small room that looked like a cross between a hospital room and a prison cell. It was all shiny metal with every piece of furnishing either bolted to the wall or the floor. An open door at the far end of the room led into a bathroom just big enough for one person to use.

He took everything in without paying much attention. His entire being was focused on the girl in the white hospital gown lying on the bed. He could feel the energy radiating off of her. _Time energy. _It was so strong that he couldn't believe he hadn't felt it the moment the doors to the lift slid open. _Oh, this is brilliant! _

He crossed the room to stand next to her. She was still out from the medication they gave her. He'd heard the conversation in Alexis' mind. _Stupid apes. _He'd make sure that didn't happen again. She wouldn't be any use to him dead so it was in his best interest to keep her alive…for now.

He rubbed his hands together, steeling himself. He needed to establish a connection. Find out what was going on inside her mind. How this happened. What she was capable of. Only she was something different. Something amazingly, brilliantly different and he wasn't sure how the connection was going to work, but it was the only way and it was much better to do it while she was unconscious.

He reached out, putting one hand on either side of her head.

* * *

Rose stood next to a gently flowing river. The smell of apple grass hung in the air. _New Earth. _Even though Cassandra took over her body and she was chased by people infected with a plague of diseases, who had been grown by cat nuns, this place was still special to her because it was the first place her new new Doctor brought her. She gazed at the city of New New York wondering how she got there.

"You're not here. Not really," a startlingly familiar voice said.

She turned to find herself standing next to her. The only difference between the two was the slight golden glow surrounding the other Rose and the power that seemed to radiate from her eyes. Looking at her was unsettling to say the least.

"Who are you?" Rose asked.

They couldn't both be the same person. Was she a clone or some kind of duplicate like James?

"I'm not a clone or a duplicate. I'm you."

"Me?"

Yeah, she wasn't buying that.

"I'm a dormant part of you. When you took the Time Vortex inside of you our mother changed you. She formed a connection with you and as a result you started to change. Not all at once. That would've driven you mad, but from that moment on your body began to change."

_Mother? _She pushed the question aside for now. She could come back to that later.

"How does that make you, me?"

"I'm the part of you that changed. Is still changing."

"So, you're what? The time energy?"

"Yes and no. I'm your TARDIS self."

"My what?" Rose asked in shock.

"You're part human, part TARDIS. You're the human part and I'm the other."

"So I have a split personality?"

She almost laughed at the idea…almost. The implications killed her laugh before it had time to escape.

"If you like."

"Brilliant. I really am mad."

"You're not crazy. Eventually we'll merge into one person."

_What? _There was no way she was going to merge with who the hell ever that girl was. They weren't the same person.

"Wait. What? I don't want to merge into one person with you."

"You don't have a choice in that I'm afraid."

"So, I'm going to become some other person and I don't have a choice?"

The idea of becoming someone else frightened her. She'd rather face the Dalek Emperor again than become someone else.

"You won't become someone else. I'm you and you're me. I'm just you with the power of a TARDIS. Think of it in the same way the Doctor changed when he regenerated."

Tentatively, Rose walked over to her other self and looked into her eyes. _This is completely odd. _She pushed aside the strangeness of the situation and tried to concentrate on finding herself behind the other Rose's hazel eyes.

"I'm…still me?" Rose asked.

"You're still you," the TARDIS Rose replied, giving her a smile, which she returned.

She stepped back and looked around again, remembering what the TARDIS Rose said. _Blimey, I need to think of a better name to call her or this is going to get confusing. _

"You can call me Marion since it's our middle name," TARDIS Rose suggested.

"I've always hated it."

"I do too, but this is going to get confusing enough might as well cut out as much as we can."

"Marion then. You said I'm not really here. On New Earth that is. So, where am I?"

"In a room, in a compound owned by Alexis Drexler."

"Wait, but that's-"

"The Vice President, yeah."

"How do you know she owns the compound? For that matter how do you know where I…we are? I don't even know where I am."

"There's someone else in here and I got the information from him," Marion said.

"Someone else?" Rose asked.

There was someone else in her mind? Was it some third personality? Marion said _him_. She hoped she didn't have some male personality running around in her mind. Talk about confusing.

"He's not another part of you. He's dangerous. Very dangerous and right now he's trying to find out about you."

"Wait. He's in my mind? How can he be in my mind? I understand how you can be here because you're part of me and because you're a TARDIS. The Doctor's TARDIS got in my mind and I've seen the Doctor get into peoples' heads-"

"He can do it the same way the Doctor can because he's a Time Lord."

"But I thought the Doctor was the last Time Lord."

"In that universe. Although this one is from that universe."

"How did he get here?"

"I'm not sure exactly. That part is hidden. I could get to it, but if I did he'd know about me and that would be very dangerous. It's best if I stay concealed for now."

"So, he's dangerous, he's in my mind, and right now he's trying to find out about me?"

"Yes, he's accessing your memories. He knows about the time energy, not exactly what it means, but he can feel it and he wants to use your power. He's trying to find out how you became the way you are, but don't worry. I've hidden those memories."

"What does he want to use me for?"

"To kill the Doctor."

"But he's a Time Lord. Why would he want to kill the Doctor?"

"It's complicated and there are things you can't know. Not yet. It would be too dangerous, especially if he found out you knew. Suffice it to say he hates the Doctor and wants him dead, which is why he can't find out how you became the way you are."

"Why? What difference would it make if he found out?"

"Because it might be possible for him to change you."

"Change me into what?"

"Into a weapon."

"But I wouldn't let him do that."

"You wouldn't have a choice. There's not a lot of time left. I'm going to have to knock him out of here-"

"But I thought you said you didn't want him to know about you."

"He'll think it has to do with the power you have because of the time energy. I told you he's dangerous. He's manipulative and cunning. You can't lie to him. He'll know and then things will become dodgy. Not only for us, but for our child. So, I'm going to have to _alter _some things."

"Alter?"

"I'm going to have to hide some of your memories down so far that not even you can access them."

"What memories?"

"Everything related to how you became the way you are. The day you saved the Doctor from the Daleks, any conversations you had with James related to how you changed, this conversation, and thoughts you might've had."

"But…then I won't know who he is."

"It's better that way."

"What if he tricks me into trusting him?"

"You will trust him, but for another reason."

"What reason?"

"There isn't time. He's close. I can feel him. Don't worry. I won't let you fully trust him. I'll be the doubt in the back of your mind and I know you're cleaver enough to listen because I'm you."

Rose wanted to protest more, but she was cut off by a surge of energy that ripped through her mind. She would've screamed. Thought maybe she was screaming and then she opened her eyes.

* * *

I don't own Doctor Who, any of its Characters, any of its Story Lines, however I do own a fez.

**Thank you to all my brilliant readers and if you have time reviews are always welcome! :)**


	18. Trust

And now to find out who the mysterious man is. I hope you're not disappointed. :)

* * *

The powerful jolt of energy severed the connection. John stepped back, momentarily stunned. She had more power than he thought. She was amazing! Brilliant! Oh, yes, he could definitely use her. She would be the perfect weapon. Now, he just needed to figure out how to control her.

Her eyes fluttered open. The jolt must have woke her. _No! _This was bad. He hadn't expected her to wake up so soon. He hadn't even thought about what he was going to tell her. He needed to come up with something fast. What did he know about her? He ran through the memories that he'd uncovered in her mind.

She was clever, not as clever as him. No one was that clever. Except for him, of course. She was a match for the Doctor though. If it wasn't for her he wouldn't have made it out of a few places alive. Too bad.

That wasn't the point. He forced his mind back on track. He needed to tell her something and soon. She was already looking at him. _Damn. _No more time.

"Are you the one who had me kidnapped?" she snapped, sitting up quickly.

She was feisty. Oh, yes, he liked her. Brilliant and feisty!

"No, I saved you. Brought you here," he said, stepping toward her, but she stood up and moved away from him.

That wasn't good. He'd have to keep her away from the doorway. He should've shut it, but it was too late now. If he did she'd think he was trying to keep her in the room, which he was, but he couldn't let her find out.

"And I'm just supposed to believe you?"

"It's true."

"Why would you do that?"

Why? Why would he do that? She had a point. He had to think of something. She didn't like to be lied to. He knew that from her memories. He'd have to tell her the truth. Not the whole truth, that wouldn't be good, but part of it. It was the best way to build lies.

"I know the Doctor."

She'd been inching toward the door, but at his words she stopped. _Brilliant! _It was working. Now he just needed to get her to trust him.

"How do you know the Doctor?"

"We grew up together on Gallifrey."

"Grew up together? But that would make you a-"

"Time Lord."

"But the Doctor said all the Time Lords were dead."

"I escaped. We found each other after you two were separated."

"Which time?" she asked, suspicion evident in her voice.

He couldn't help smiling. Maybe she was more than a match for the Doctor. Of course she didn't know he'd seen her memories, but the Doctor would've already believed him by now. At least, the Doctor he remembered would have.

"The first time. When you two were separated at Canary Wharf."

"If you found the Doctor after that then why weren't you with us when we defeated Davros?"

He wasn't sure if she was this clever before or if the time energy made her this way, but she was delicious. He knew he'd have to be careful. Very careful about what he said. She couldn't catch him in a lie or he'd lose her.

"I died," he admitted.

If he said he left she'd never believe it. There was no getting around the truth, but there was always reshaping it, which is what he was about to do.

"You mean you regenerated."

"No, I died. As in lights out. The end. The final curtain falls."

"But…but how can you be here if you died?"

"I was resurrected."

"Wait. You want me to believe that someone brought you back from the dead? I mean, I get the whole regeneration thing, but bringing someone back from the dead?"

"It's true. It was actually the second time I was resurrected. The Time Lords resurrected me the first time during the Time War."

* * *

Rose looked into his green eyes, so similar to the eyes the Doctor had or would have, depending on if he regenerated yet. There was darkness in this man same as the Doctor, but he didn't carry the weight of guilt that the Doctor did. Then again he wasn't responsible for destroying his own people.

"Okay, say I believe you. Why aren't you with him now?"

"I was with him, but then the Time Lords broke out of the time lock with Gallifrey, in the middle of the Time War. I helped the Doctor defeat them by sending them back into the time lock, but I got stuck on the wrong side."

"You got stuck inside the time lock?"

"Yes."

"Then how are you here?"

"The force of the time lock slamming shut a second time created a tear and I fell through."

Panic seized her. If he came through a tear then what if something else came through? What if a horde of Daleks came through?

"A tear? But does that mean something else can come through?"

"No, it sealed after I fell through. I'm pretty sure the tear sealed when Gallifrey was destroyed."

"So, you've been here ever since?"

"Yes."

"How long?"

"About a year."

_A year? _How could he know that she saw the Doctor again if he'd been there for a year? That didn't make any sense, but then he couldn't be lying either. Well, he could be lying about how long he'd been there, but why would he do that?

"But I've only been here for three months. How do you know I saw the Doctor twice if you've been here for a whole year?"

"My best guess is the tear wasn't only in space, it was in time as well."

That made sense…didn't it? He was the Time Lord. He'd know. So, he knew the Doctor. They grew up together, but did that make them friends? If they battled the Time Lords together the Doctor must trust him, but then he'd wound up on the other side of the time lock. Did that mean the Doctor couldn't save him or did that mean the Doctor intended to lock him away too?

All that aside another thought struck her. He said he saved her. How did he even know she was in trouble?

"You said you saved me, yeah?"

"Yes."

"But how did you know I needed saving? I mean, you've been here for a year. I haven't seen you. James didn't say anything about you and you just show up out of the blue and save me?"

He stared at her for a moment and she could tell he was trying to decide what to tell her. One lie. That's all it would take and she'd be done with him. Usually she gave people the benefit of the doubt, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that kept telling her not to trust him.

"I heard you."

"You…heard…me?" she asked, slowly, trying to figure out what he was talking about.

"In my mind," he said, tapping the side of his head. "You yelled one word. _Doctor._"

She remembered how the word seemed to explode in her mind, but how could he hear it? That wasn't possible.

"How could you hear that?"

"I'm not sure, but I was able to locate where you were when it happened. By the time I got there you were gone and the…your…"

Her eyes misted over at the memory of James being shot.

"James was dead."

"No, he was dying, but he managed to tell me what your kidnapper looked like. I traced him to his flat and he told me where you were."

"He told you?"

"Eventually."

She didn't like the way he said _eventually_. He sounded happy, almost gleeful.

"What did you do to him?"

"Do you really care?"

"Yes."

"But he kidnapped you and killed…" he trailed off as if he was trying to remember James' name and she'd just said it.

"James. His name was James."

"He kidnapped you and killed _James _and you're worried about what I might've done to him?"

"Yes."

* * *

He was having a hard time not laughing at the absurdity. She'd been kidnapped. Someone she cared about had been killed and she was worried about what he might've done to the person responsible? This wasn't going well at all. There was no way he'd be able to keep this facade up for six months. Six months? That was forever.

It's a good thing he had another plan. He wanted her to trust him now, instead of having to wait, but obviously now wasn't going to happen and he'd have to go with his other plan.

"I killed him. There. Happy?" he asked with a smirk.

He caught her hand before it connected with his face. He squeezed her wrist as he walked her back to the bed until her calves hit the frame, forcing her to sit down.

"Don't ever try that again. Do you understand?" he asked coldly releasing her wrist with a shove. When she didn't answer he continued, "I was hoping to gain your trust, but I can see that's not going to happen."

"How much of what you told me was the truth and how much did you make up?"

"I know the Doctor. We grew up together. We did find each other after you two were separated, but it was more – he found me, I remembered who I was, I stole his TARDIS and tried to destroy humanity, he defeated me, I died, but refused to regenerate because he threatened to take me with him. Could you image spending your entire life with him? Oh, wait, look who I'm asking." He laughed. "I was resurrected and yes, it did happen twice like I said. I did help him defeat the Time Lords, but I brought them back in the first place. I stepped into the time lock with them while I was fighting Rassilon. I would have killed him right then and there, but he offered to fix me. You see, my resurrection went wrong thanks to my dearly departed wife who tried to ruin it. I accepted Rassilon's offer and he told me how to use the Eye of Harmony to repair myself. Went with me to do it. Of course, I insisted on that part because I had my own plans. That's when I noticed the tear. I killed Rassilon, repaired myself, which caused me to regenerate, which is why that half-Time Lord didn't recognize me, I stole a TARDIS, and went through the tear and wound up here. The tear did seal after I came through and like I said I'm fairly certain that's when Gallifrey was destroyed. Oh and James, that's his name right? See, I remembered. James was dying, but I actually killed him. More like put him out of his misery."

"Why would you do that?"

"What are you referring to? I did pretty much sum up the last few years of my life."

"James. Why did you kill him?"

"He was dying. I thought you'd be glad to hear he didn't suffer…much."

"You said you have a TARDIS. Couldn't you have saved him?"

"Not a very reliable one. Most of them were destroyed in the war. The one I got stuck with is little more than a piece of junk. Besides, why would I take the time to save a human Time Lord? He couldn't even regenerate."

"Did you ever think that the only problem with your TARDIS is that she doesn't like you?"

If he didn't know her better he'd guess she didn't understand the situation she was in, but he knew that she did and still she was making jokes. _Brilliant! _

"It's too bad we couldn't get along. I would've liked spending time with you, but I'll fix that."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll be much more agreeable later."

"I doubt that."

"You see, my TARDIS might be unreliable, but she's helped me make some new friends. Friends that will persuade you to think a certain way. Whatever way I want you to think."

"What are you going to do? Torture me?"

Not that it didn't sound fun, but it would never get her to trust him, which is what he wanted. He would rather not try to build a weapon out of broken parts.

"I said I wanted you to trust me."

"There's nothing shy of brainwashing that'll get me to do that."

"Oh, you went and guessed my surprise. Can you do me a favor and act surprised when it happens?"

He smiled as her eyes widened in fear as the reality of the situation hit her. Yes, she would change her mind about him. She just wouldn't know she was doing it until it was done.

"Tell me…tell me one thing," she said.

"What do you want to know?" he asked.

"Who are you?"

"I'm called The Master. I'm sure you've heard of me."

"No, can't say that I have."

"The Doctor didn't tell you about me?"

"Let me think…Nope. Didn't mention you once."

The Doctor didn't think he was worth mentioning? He'd soon change that.

* * *

Standard Disclaimer

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome. :)


	19. About To Get A Whole Lot Worse

Rose was standing next to the river on New Earth again, only this time she knew it was in her mind. All of her memories came flooding back in a wave. How she saved the Doctor from the Daleks. That she was part TARDIS and her conversation with her TARDIS self.

"I thought I told you to pretend to trust him," Marion said.

Rose turned to look at her TARDIS self, who reminded her of a teacher admonishing a student.

"How could I trust him with you nagging me not to in the back of my mind?" Rose replied.

"You could have pretended."

"Maybe if I remembered our conversation, yeah?"

Marion sighed.

"Well, it's too late anyway and now things are going to get a whole lot worse."

Rose's stomach dropped at the look on Marion's face, which was a mixture of concern and fear.

"What do you mean?"

"You heard that bit about brainwashing, yeah?"

Rose stared at her. He couldn't really do that, could he? She had been frightened when he joked about her finding out his surprise, but he was just trying to scare her, wasn't he?

"But…you can keep him out of my head, can't you?"

"If it were only that easy."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I told you I saw inside his mind when he was looking in ours. I couldn't tell you before because you weren't protected, but I've built a safe place for us to talk. A place you can come to when you're asleep."

Rose looked around.

"But it looks exactly the same as the last time we talked. What makes it safer now?"

"TARDIS' have their own protection and I've wrapped that protection around this place. No one can even find it unless we both want them to. Think of it this way. This place," she swept her arm around, "is like the Doctor's TARDIS, but instead of having one key there are two. You and me. No one can get in here unless we both want them here."

"Then I should be fine, yeah?"

"Yes and no. He won't be able to access the memories I've stored in here, but he's not planning on looking at your memories anymore. That was his initial plan. He thought he could get you to trust him and then you'd open up to him and possibly let him see your memories. He really didn't like that shock I gave him." She smiled. "Made him a bit cautious about rooting around inside your head without permission."

"That's good, yeah?"

"He won't look inside your head, but he's got others who can do things for him. That's what I saw inside his mind. That's why I wanted you to pretend to trust him."

"What others?"

"He was telling you the truth when he said he made friends during his travels in the TARDIS in this universe. Only, I'd call them allies, not friends. The Master doesn't have friends. He uses people, manipulates them for his own purposes then disposes of them when they're no longer useful."

"So…these allies of his…they can get inside my mind?"

"Not the same way the Master did. These creatures can influence you without you even knowing it happened."

How was that even possible? Creatures that could brainwash someone. A shiver went up her spine.

"Influence me how?"

"Wipe your memories. Give you commands, which you won't remember getting, but you will follow."

"You mean they can make me do whatever they want?"

That thought struck fear in her heart. The Master said she'd change her mind about him. Was he going to use the creatures to make her trust him?

"Yes and he will use them to make you trust him. At least, that's his plan."

"But I've never heard of them."

"You wouldn't have because when you see one the moment you look away you forget it was even there."

_Wait. What? _If she saw one she'd forget it was even there when she looked away? Then how could the Master remember them?

"But the Master remembers them?"

"Yes."

"How?"

Was it because he was a Time Lord? Maybe. If that was true then their abilities didn't work on everyone and maybe with the time energy inside of her they wouldn't be able to influence her. She wasn't sure if it was true, but she clung to it. The only hope she had in a sea of fear.

"I don't know. That wasn't surface information and, like I said, I didn't want to go digging around in his mind."

"Do you know what they look like?"

"I did, at least I'm pretty sure I did, but by the time I built this place the information I gathered about them was starting to delete. If I hadn't put what was left in here we wouldn't even be having this conversation."

And there went her only hope. Sinking like the Titanic. If the information was deleting from her TARDIS self then she didn't stand a chance.

"So, there isn't anything we can do?"

"I didn't say that. I can hide your true memories in here. The ones they delete and the ones they try to change."

"But I'll only be able to access them when I'm asleep. How is that going to help?"

"You'll have them back when we merge."

There was that merge thing again. She still wasn't sure about it, but if it was the only way to protect herself from those creatures and keep the Master from turning her into a weapon to destroy the man she loved then she'd do it. Without hesitation.

"What about the commands they give me? What if they make me trust the Master?"

"I'll save your memories of them and once we merge you'll remember them telling you, which should take away their influence."

_Should? _So, everything was riding on a possibility. She sighed. Well, that's all she was going to get so it would have to be good enough.

* * *

Standard Disclaimer

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome. :)


	20. Tests

I've been asked by a few people about the 11th Doctor and when he'll be coming back into the story and my reply is - there will be a chapter with him in it after the next one, but there will be other chapters without him for timey wimey reasons.

I have made some assumptions - my own of course - as to what the Silents are, where they came from, and why a certain dark haired, Eye Drive wearing woman hates the Doctor.

Hope you all enjoy the chapter! :)

* * *

The Master stared out the false window, impatiently. He called his _friend _over three hours ago. She should've been there by now. She knew better than to keep him waiting.

"Going by Dr. Chambers now?" a woman asked from the doorway.

He turned to look at her. She was wearing a black suit with her dark, curly hair pulled up and held at the top of her head. She gazed at him with one eye.

"Kovarian," he greeted, ignoring her question. He had his reasons for using the name, but he wasn't going to get into that with her. "You went with the Eye Drive then?"

"I'd rather not have an implant in case something goes wrong," she replied stepping into the room.

"Don't you trust me?"

He had full control over the Silents since they were tuned to his mind. Something no one else knew he was doing when he helped create them. With the exception of a quick witted lab tech, but he'd been easy to take care of.

"Did you forget that I was there when they were created? I remember what you did to the team you were working with."

He smiled, remembering how shocked they were when the creatures they created to help defeat the future Cybermen turned on them. The screaming and panic. It was fantastic!

"I did use them to defeat the Cybermen. Saved the entire universe, if I remember correctly, which I do."

"Only because it was in your best interest since you still hadn't fixed your TARDIS."

"And you came with me because it was in your best interest."

Kovarian hated the Doctor almost as much as he did because her entire planet was converted by the Cybermen. Of course, he was the one who pointed out that the creation of the future Cybermen was the Doctor's fault, which it was because he was responsible for stopping the Cybermen when they were first created in this universe.

The Doctor didn't take into account that maybe they were meant to destroy the human race, which they were. The human race wasn't supposed to survive in this universe. The Master could see that, but then his mind had always been stronger, which was why he was able to tune into the time lines here.

The thing was, the universe, be it parallel or not, always finds a way to work itself out. To get back to the path it was meant to follow. So, the Cybermen were created again, only thousands of years in the future. They were stronger, able to destroy not only the human race, but the entire universe.

Kovarian shifted next to him, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Why did it take you three hours to get here?" he asked.

"Research," she said.

"You spent three hours doing research?"

"Did you know that the girl's father runs Torchwood?"

"And why should that matter?"

"They have their own military and right now he has everyone who works there running around looking for his precious daughter. If you hadn't left that body at her flat we could've concentrated their search area."

"How do you know I was at her flat?"

She raised her visible eyebrow.

"Fine, but I didn't kill him."

"You didn't?" she asked, disbelief evident in her voice.

"No, I'd say I put him out of his misery. He was already dying."

"Still, you should've brought the body."

She was a stickler for details. Something he liked and hated about her, depending on his mood and at the moment he was becoming irritated.

"I'll remember that next time."

"What are we going to do about her father?"

"He's not really her father." She gave him a quizzical look. "She's from a parallel universe, my universe, and so was the man at her flat who was actually half-Time Lord."

"If he was half-Time Lord how can you be sure he's dead?"

She was the only person in this universe who knew he was a Time Lord, well her and Rose, but since the girl was his prisoner it didn't matter what she knew. She wasn't going anywhere. The Doctor wasn't there and he'd make sure her _father _didn't get anywhere near her, even if he had to kill him, which he wouldn't have thought twice about before, but now that the drums were gone he could control himself easier. Most of the time.

"Human body. One life. He's dead," he replied, offhandedly.

"Well, whether or not he's her father he's still looking for her along with the rest of Torchwood," she said.

"But they're only looking because he's the Director."

"So?"

"So, if he stops being the Director then the search stops."

"If you kill him that's only going to create another search, unless they think the two are related in which case it'll bring in the rest of the authorities."

"I wasn't talking about killing him. As much fun as that would be I don't want to draw attention to myself either. I was talking about taking away his privileges. Barring him from Torchwood."

"How are you going to do that?"

"Oh, I'm not going to do that. The Vice President will do that."

"But you can't just take away his privileges."

"They can be taken away if there's a formal hearing."

He was already formulating a plan. One that would not only keep her father out of Torchwood and keep him busy for a while, but also make his friends suspicious. Without anyone to help him, he'd be on his own.

"About?"

"About his daughter who really isn't his daughter and the fact that she's gone missing."

"Make it look like he's guilty?"

He smiled and she returned his smile.

"Make it look like he might be. A hearing can be stretched out for years. By the time it comes to pass we'll be gone, taking the girl and her child with us."

"Very cleaver."

No, it was brilliant, but he let her comment slide. It was time to get started.

"How many did you bring?"

"Just one. He's out in the hall."

"One?"

"That's all we need. It's only a test run, remember? Besides I had a hell of a time making it down the hall with the one. Kept running into some idiot in a dress uniform. I had to tell him who I was three times because he couldn't remember seeing me."

He laughed. Must have been Grant. He would've liked to see that. He enjoyed the way they affected people, but he enjoyed watching them kill much more. Maybe he could _fire _a few of the employees after they were done testing Rose. Yes, he'd enjoy that.

"No time like the present to find out if it works on her," the Master said, turning to walk out.

"And if it doesn't?"

"We can bring in her mum or her little brother until her child is born."

He heard Kovarian follow as he stepped out the door. The Silent was standing in the hall like she said. It fell into step behind them as he continued down the hall toward to room he told Grant to move Rose to. One with a mirrored window so he could watch and issue orders out of sight.

* * *

A strong stench invaded Rose's nose, banishing Marion and New Earth. She tried to keep her eyes closed because she could sense him, in the room with her. After he left her the first time he sent men in to drag her out of her room and when she fought them they used chloroform to knock her out the same way her attacker had subdued her.

"Wakey, wakey," the Master sang.

The stench came back, stronger than before, making her cough. She opened her eyes. Her head felt like it was splitting and the glare from the lights intensified the pain.

She tried to move and realized she was strapped to the chair she was sitting in. _What the hell? _She tried to focus, but her vision blurred. She wasn't sure if that was an effect from the chloroform or something else.

"Hold her head," he ordered.

She felt someone grab her chin and hair then force her head back. She struggled, but without the use of her hands she was powerless. The Master bent over her, close enough for her to see him through the blur. He had something in his hand.

"What are you doing?" she yelled.

"This will help. I promise," he said, reassuringly, only she didn't trust him as far as she could throw him and at that moment she couldn't even pick him up.

A drop of liquid landed in her left eye. She tried to wrench her head out of the hands that held her, but it was no use. Another drop landed in her right eye and a moment later her vision cleared as the throbbing in her head subsided.

"Better?" he asked as her head was released.

"What did you give me?" she snapped, glaring at him.

"Something for your head. Chloroform is pretty nasty, but it's the only thing safe enough to use on you. Wouldn't want to harm your child."

She almost laughed. Why would he care what happened to her child? He only cared about himself. She'd learned that much about him from their meeting.

"What do you care about my child?"

"Just in case things don't go as well as I hope I need something to make you cooperate."

Her chest tightened. He…he was going to use her child to make her do what he wanted?

"Why are you doing this?"

"You know why and as much as I'd like to sit here chatting we should get on with the tests."

"What tests?"

"First, introductions," he said, ignoring her question. "This," a woman with dark curly hair stepped from behind Rose to stand next to the Master. "…is Madam Kovarian and that," he pointed to his right. Rose turned her head to find a tall humanoid creature with grey skin, a large mouth-less head, wearing a black suit, "…is one of our friends."

"You think some alien's going to scare me?" Rose asked, turning back to look the Master in the eye and then she couldn't remember what she'd been about to say.

"What do you think of our friend?" the Master asked.

"What friend?"

"The one over there."

He pointed to his right. Rose turned her head. A tall humanoid creature with grey skin…wait…she already saw it, didn't she? Yes, she saw it and then when she looked away she forgot. _What the hell is going on? _

"Rose."

She looked at the Master intent on asking him…asking him…she was sure she was going to ask him something.

"It seems to work," Kovarian said.

What works? Did they do something? No, they couldn't have, unless they did something when she was unconscious.

"What did you do?" Rose asked.

"Brilliant!" the Master exclaimed.

"We need to run the other tests from the control room," Kovarian said.

"Where are you going? What other tests?" Rose asked as she watched them walk toward the door. Then she caught sight of something standing in the room. An alien wearing a…wait…she'd already seen it and then forgot and then saw it again and then forgot again. _What the hell is that thing? _

* * *

Oh, this was going brilliantly, better than brilliant, fantastic. He was afraid that with the time energy her mind might be harder to control, but he should've known the creatures would work. After all he made sure they were strong enough to alter a Time Lord mind. Not his of course, well, they would've been able to alter his if he wasn't linked to them, which was why he made sure to link to them while they were being created.

He followed Kovarian into the control room on the other side of the false mirror. Rose was staring at the Silent. He was sure she realized that if she looked away she'd forget that it was even there. She was quick like that. He smiled. Yes, she would be very pleasant company, once she trusted him and once he changed her a bit. Got rid of all that compassion she had. Replaced it with something less boring. Blood lust, yes, blood lust was always nice.

She reminded him a bit of Lucy, well, if Lucy was smart. It didn't take him long to corrupt her. Rose on the other hand was going to be quite the challenge. He liked challenges, especially ones he knew he'd win.

He sat down in the chair with the microphone in front of him. With the link in place he could command the Silent telepathically while giving Rose instructions through the microphone.

"Rose," the Master said, holding down the button on the microphone.

Her head snapped up and she looked around the room, surprised by the sound of his voice.

"Where are you?" she asked.

"Somewhere I can see you."

She looked at the mirror. Oh, yes, she was brilliant, not as brilliant as he was, but enough to keep his interest. He instructed the Silent to step in front of her. The creature's movement brought her attention. She watched it walk toward her, stopping a few feet from the chair she was in. The Master smiled at the fear in her eyes. This was going to be quite fun.

"What is that thing? Why can't I remember it when I look away?"

"When you look away this time I want you to turn your head to the left," he instructed, choosing to ignore her questions.

"Why would I do that?" she asked.

"Because I told you to."

He instructed the Silent to move to her right and then step behind her where she couldn't see it. As soon as the creature was out of sight Rose turned her head to the left. _Brilliant! _This was going to work exactly as he hoped.

* * *

Standard Disclaimer applies.

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome. :)


	21. Defiance

Pete stood in the office at his house with the only five people who still trusted him, besides Jacks and Tony. His wife never lost faith in him, but she knew the truth. Knew where Rose was from and who James really was, or had been, since he was now dead.

It'd been two weeks since Rose vanished. He searched for two days before the order came down from the Vice President herself to take him off the case. He was put on leave pending a formal hearing. He put up a fight, but when he read the charges he was floored. He was being charged, not only in his daughter's disappearance, but with forging documents about her and James. It seemed someone up top got wind that she wasn't his daughter and James wasn't human. He was glad he'd had the foresight to cremate James' remains, keeping them from proving that bit.

Jacks volunteered to testify to his whereabouts at the time of the incident, but he knew there was something else going on. Someone wanted him away from Torchwood so the search would stop, which it did. Jacks wanted him to go to the Vice President. Find out what was going on, but he knew that would be futile. Whoever set the events in motion to bar him from Torchwood had a far reach, clear up to the top of the government. He couldn't fight them out in the open.

So, with Ted, who helped Rose with the Dimension Cannon, Walter, who'd been working with Pete since they got Torchwood up and running after the Cybermen, Ellie, Ted's wife and one of their best physicists, Mike, one of their scouts, and Andy, who had worked with James, they'd been trying to track down where Rose was being kept.

Just before Pete had been sacked Ted managed to get a picture of the man who took Rose. Not from any of the cameras in the building since he'd used some electrical device to fry the circuits, but there was a traffic cam outside that took a picture every ten seconds. Only one of them was clear enough to make out part of the license plate of the truck he loaded Rose into.

By the time they traced it he was dead, but they'd gotten pretty far through his bank account that had deposits from an offshore account. Walter took over from there and traced the offshore account to Anna Michaelson. Only, Anna was living in a retirement home and couldn't even remember what year it was, but her bill was being paid by the woman who ordered Pete's hearing. Vice President Drexler.

"Found something," Walter said, from where he was sitting at the desk.

Pete leaned over his shoulder and gazed at the computer screen. It was an aerial shot of a building in the country that looked like a warehouse.

"What is it?" Pete asked.

"I found a few references to it. Mainly electric bills and they're pretty high, especially for a warehouse, which is what it looks like on the surface, but check this out."

He typed at few keys and the aerial shot was replaced by blueprints. It looked like a parking garage from the top, but a side view showed underground levels. Labs, living quarters, interrogation rooms, a cafeteria. Definitely not a warehouse.

"Where is it?"

Pete was already making plans. Trying to discern the best point of entrance from the blue prints and counting off how many weapons they would need.

"I know you want to get her back, but you have to slow down, Pete," Walter said.

Slow down? He'd been trying to find her for two weeks and during that time Jacks hounded him constantly, which he couldn't blame her for. Rose was her only daughter after all, but it didn't make things easier on him. Every time she saw him she asked if he'd made any progress.

"We know where she is. All we have to do is go get her," Pete insisted.

"We don't even know if she's in there. Look, at least let me see if I can get into their database. If she's there then I should be able to find some trace of her," Walter said.

"Fine," Pete replied.

She was there. He could feel it. He didn't need proof. He needed a team. He needed Torchwood. If he had them at his disposal he'd send everyone into that place and whoever was holding her would be sorry, but he didn't have Torchwood anymore. He had a team of five and with a pace maker Walter wasn't really up to fighting. He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. He didn't care if he was the only one going in, as soon as Walter found his proof he'd be headed for that compound.

* * *

"You will sleep," the creature said as its grey, mouth-less face leaned closer.

She didn't want to sleep. She wanted a gun and her arms free so she could shoot it. She tried to struggle, but her eyelids were growing heavier and she knew there was nothing she could do.

"You will sleep," the creature repeated.

Her eyelids became too heavy to lift and a moment later she was standing next to the river on New Earth. At least here she could escape.

"Yes, you know you're safe here," Marion said.

She looked at her TARDIS self as tears burning the corners of her eyes.

"I'm breaking. I can feel it and there's nothing I can do," Rose sobbed.

"I wish I could tell you that it's going to be alright, but I won't lie to myself like that. There are days ahead for you. Awful, horrible days, but you're strong. Stronger than you realize."

"I don't feel very strong. Especially now, remembering the Master giving me orders while I was looking at that creature and then when it walked away I did exactly what he asked."

"Not every time," Marion reminded.

"That was mostly you," Rose said, remembering how the Master tried to get her to let him look at her memories, but he received another nasty shock of time energy when he touched her head.

"It wasn't just me."

"But it's only been two weeks. If this keeps up I'm going to break. I know I am."

Marion put her hand on Rose's shoulder, comfortingly.

"I'll help you as much as I can and with you able to come here while you sleep it's going to take a lot longer and by then we should be merged."

She'd been afraid of merging with her TARDIS self, but now she wanted it more than anything.

"When is that going to happen?"

"I can't tell you exactly when because if I do it could change things."

"How's it going to change anything if I can't remember?"

"Trust me."

Trust wasn't something she had a large commodity of at the moment, but Marion was her. They were the same and if she was going to trust anyone it would be herself.

"You're the only one I trust right now." She sighed. "I hate him, you know?"

"I know."

"I've never wanted to kill someone before, but if I had the chance-"

"Don't let him change you. Don't let him take that part of you that sees good in everyone."

She laughed. "I'm not a nineteen year old shop girl anymore."

"No, but you're still you."

Yes, but she was changing. He was changing her. Maybe if there was something good in him, something to give her a reason to hope that he wouldn't follow through with his plan in the end. Wouldn't turn her into a weapon to kill the man she loved, but there wasn't any good in him. Not that she could see.

* * *

The Master glared at Rose. How was she still holding out? She should have broken by now. She should be his by now. To do with as he wanted. He could get her to do basic things. Turn her head, let him read her mind, which didn't turn out the way he wanted because when he tried to form a connection with her mind he'd been jolted out of it, shocked out of it actually, but she didn't trust him. She fought with him every step of the way.

"What are you hiding?" he demanded.

"I'm not hiding anything," she snapped.

"You are! I know you are. Don't lie to me!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" she yelled back.

He growled in frustration as he crossed the room and grabbed her arms, lifting her off the bed. She was hiding something. Something that kept her from breaking. He shook her.

"Tell me!"

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, but even if I did I wouldn't tell you!"

He glared into her hazel eyes. There was something…something inside of her. Some part of her that still defied him. He would find it…find it and kill it. Then and only then would she truly be his and he would have her and that time energy inside of her.

"I will find out how you're resisting and when I do you'll break."

He watched her eyes closely, but instead of looking at him in fear, as he expected, she shot him with hatred. Well, that was something at least.

"Good luck that," she snapped.

He tossed her back on the bed. Why wasn't she afraid of him? She should be afraid of him by now, but instead she'd become more insolent.

"I don't need luck. We've already made some progress. I think upping your sessions will help. So, let's find out what you're hiding, shall we?" he asked.

The door opened and the Silent entered the room. He watched, gleefully, as fear crept into her eyes. Fear, that was much better. He liked fear.

* * *

Standard Disclaimer.

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome. :)


	22. Revelations

The Doctor is in this chapter. River is too, but it's not a Doctor/River chapter, there won't be one of those. Sorry to any readers who wanted that, but this is a Doctor/Rose story. :)

* * *

The TADIS hummed as she felt her child step inside.

"Hello, mother," her child said. "Is the Doctor here?"

Her child crossed the room to the console, but she rumbled to get her child's attention. There were important matters to take care of because now was the time she needed to tell her child. She knew her child would be upset, but it couldn't be avoided.

"What's wrong with you?"

The TARDIS brought up an image on the screen. An image of her thief, but not how he looked now. How he looked before, when he wore a brown pinstriped suit.

"He's a bit of a pretty boy? Who is he?"

_Thief. _No that wasn't right. What had her child just called him? It was what he called him and the others called him. _Doctor. _Yes, that was the word. She flashed the word across the image.

"The Doctor? When did he look like that?"

Yes, that was something else she had to do. Quickly she flashed through all the regenerations.

"He's changed a lot. Mind you the eighth one-"

She flashed the lights to get her child's attention once again. Then she brought up a picture of his tenth with the yellow girl, because her child needed to know about the yellow girl. Now was the time.

* * *

River didn't understand what the TARDIS was doing. It had been nice to see all of her husband's regenerations. She made a mental note to let him think he told her. She loved to tease him and she almost laughed as she thought how crazy it would make him as he tried to figure out when he showed her and why he'd do that.

A new image appeared on the screen. It was the Doctor in his tenth regeneration and a blonde girl. _One of his old companions? _They were smiling, but in a way she'd never seen the Doctor smile before. The girl's arm was laced through his and the way they were looking at each other unsettled River.

She wasn't naive enough to believe that she was the first woman the Doctor ever loved. He'd lived for centuries, but still, believing something and then seeing it were two different things. Why would the TARDIS show her this?

The Doctor didn't talk about his past and she didn't push him for details because she knew it was painful for him. He didn't like endings.

"Who was she?"

Their picture was replaced by a small one of just the girl with information underneath.

_Name: Rose Marion Tyler_

_Mother: Jacqueline Andrea Suzette Tyler_

_Father: Peter Alan Tyler_

_Rose Tyler? _The TARDIS obviously thought she was important or, at least, it was important for River to find out about her and she trusted her mother.

"Okay, mother, tell me about her," River said.

* * *

The Doctor crossed the street toward his TARDIS. He was just going to drop Amy and Rory off before doing some investigating on those cracks that started to appear everywhere, but Amy talked him into a cup of tea, which quickly turned into another and then a game of tennis on the Wii, which then turned into a challenge between him and Rory, which he won. Rory accused him of cheating when he caught the Doctor sonicing the Wii remote, but he was only trying to make the battery last longer, well, mostly.

He unlocked the door and stepped into the TARDIS, but froze when he saw River standing next to the console. It was bad enough that she kept popping up in his time stream, now she was mucking about in the TARDIS when he was gone. Well, he wasn't going to have it.

"River, what are you doing in my TARDIS?" he demanded, crossing the room toward her.

She turned around and again he froze. She looked like…no, she couldn't be…but her eyes were red and he could see fresh tears running down her cheeks.

"River?" he asked, not sure what to do.

On one hand he was mad at her for breaking into his TARDIS and doing who knew what while he was out, but she was crying and he was never good around people who were crying. Had no idea what to do around them.

She wiped her eyes and disguised her emotions with a mask, one that was reminiscent of the one he wore. Then she crossed the control room, stood in front of him, and in one fluid motion that was much too quick for him to prepare for, slapped him across the face. His head snapped to the side with the force.

"Oi, what was that for?" he asked, rubbing his sore jaw.

"You…you idiot!" she snapped, glaring at him before turning to walk out the door.

He watched her go, completely stunned. _What the hell did I do? _The TARDIS began making a strange noise that sounded very much like laughter.

"What?" he asked the room.

The noise continued.

"Oi, that's enough…unless you want me to fix something."

The noise stopped. At least he had some control. He glanced at the door again and then walked over to the console. He wasn't sure what River's problem was, but if he never saw her again it'd be too soon, though he was pretty sure he would see her again. There was only one reason why she would know his name. He ran a hand through his hair. No time to worry about that now. There were cracks that needed investigating. He flipped a lever on the console and put all thoughts of River aside as the time rotor began moving.

* * *

River stalked down the sidewalk. She could've used her Vortex Manipulator to teleport, but she needed a good walk after finding out about Rose and what'd happened to her. That man. That idiot man. She loved him, but he could be such fool sometimes.

He left that girl in a parallel universe with a human duplicate of himself because he thought he was doing her a favor. More than that. He thought he was saving her and giving her the life she deserved, but he must not have realized what happened after she took the Time Vortex inside of her. He was notoriously slow, so of course he didn't realize, but River did.

At the same time part of her was glad, not that Rose was stuck living a very long life in a parallel universe, but that she wasn't with the Doctor. Not after River found out how he felt about her. Not after she heard him say those words. Three words she didn't think he was capable of saying. She sighed. She couldn't blame him for who he loved and she knew he loved her to, not the same way, but she would take whatever she could get from him because she loved him.

She finally stopped and leaned in the shadow of a building. It was the baby. That's what did it. What sent her over the edge and made her slap him. She could live without the words, but a child, something they would never have together… She couldn't because she knew her time with the Doctor would be short. Knew it the moment she saved him by giving him all of her remaining regenerations. She couldn't allow herself to grow old and she'd been hiding her age as much as she could. He didn't like endings.

At least she could make sure he wasn't alone. He should never be alone. That's why she agreed to help her mother. It wasn't going to be easy to keep him from finding out, but then again, nothing with the Doctor was ever easy.

* * *

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome! :)


	23. Long Distance Phone Call

A few questions I wanted to address from the last chapter. I had River call the TARDIS mother because River is a child of the TARDIS and I thought it was in character with something she'd do, sorry if I confused anyone with that. Next, I refer to the creepy, grey skinned, suit wearing aliens as Silents because that's the name I came across, I was under the impression that the Silence was a "religious order," but the creatures themselves were called Silent (singular) and Silents (plural). If I'm wrong, please let me know. I really don't like making mistakes like that. :)

Okay, this chapter has lots of different people - Pete, Jackie, Jack, The Master, Kovarian, and Rose. Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Three months had passed since Pete found out Rose was being held at the compound. It wasn't easy, but eventually Walter found proof. It wasn't definitive proof, not anything they could take to the authorities. Just the initials R.M.T. with an entrance date that matched the date she was abducted.

It wasn't like they could go to the authorities even if they found proof. Not with the Vice President in on it. So, instead, they focused on the employees. Trying to find someone they could use to help them get her out. That's when they came across the name Dr. John Chambers. He was new. Had been put in charge recently, at least, according to what Walter dug up.

When they started digging around for an address must have been when Chambers caught on, although, again, they couldn't prove that he had anything to do with Jacks' _accident_, which happened a week after Walter started digging into the doctor's past, but he was there right after it happened.

Pete could clearly remember that night. Jacks was coming home from a fundraiser, not anything big, just something small to keep up appearances. He didn't attend because he was working with Walter, running down a lead they found on Dr. Chambers.

Since it was a small affair she'd driven her own car and on her way back one of her tires blew out. It wouldn't have been so bad if she wasn't on a winding part of the road. If it wasn't for the guardrail she would've went over the edge and plunged a hundred feet to the icy water below.

As it was, she hit her head hard enough to cause a concussion, but she couldn't use her mobile because there wasn't any service in the area, which was why she was so glad that a doctor happened by about fifteen minutes later. He insisted on driving her to the hospital, but by the time Pete showed up he was gone. When he asked Jacks the doctor's name so he could thank him the name she gave him stabbed fear into his heart. Dr. John Chambers.

After checking her car out and the area where the accident happened he found something that told him it wasn't an accident. A bullet. His wife was nearly killed as a warning. Telling him to back off. That's when he decided to snuck her and Tony out of the country.

She didn't want to go. Not with Rose still being held in that compound so he promised to find a way to help her, though he had no idea how he was going to do that.

Jacks stepped into his office, bringing him out of his thoughts. He'd been waiting for her to finish packing. As soon as she was ready he'd call Walter so they could meet at an undisclosed location. Then Walter would get her and Tony out of the country and after Pete found a way to help Rose he'd meet up with them.

He was about to ask if she was ready when that strange whirring noise came again. He was sure it was coming from the crack that appeared in the wall of his office a few days ago. The strange noise wasn't there all the time and every time it happened he was alone, which started to make him think he was losing his mind. That wouldn't surprise him. Not after everything that'd happened.

Jacks didn't come in the office very often because most of the time he spent in there was with his team trying to find a way to rescue Rose and she didn't want to disturb him from that. When the noise started she froze.

"Where's that coming from?" she asked, looking around.

"You can hear it?" he inquired, stunned.

"Course I can. Where's it coming from?"

"The…the crack. I think it's coming from there."

"Crack? What crack?"

He led her over to a picture he'd put up to hide it because looking at it unsettled him. He wasn't sure why. It just did.

"From there?" she asked, looking at the crack after he uncovered it.

"Yeah."

"But…that's just a crack?"

"I think it's something else. If you lean close you can hear it better."

She pressed her ear to the crack. Her eyes widened and she stepped away quickly.

"But…but that's…that's the TARDIS."

"The TARDIS?"

"The Doctor's TARDIS."

He leaned his ear against it. The noise wasn't familiar to him, but then he'd never been next to the TARDIS when it appeared or disappeared. He knew how it moved because Rose and Jacks both told him, but he'd never heard it.

"Are you sure?"

"I spent years listening for that noise when Rose traveled with him. Trust me. I know what it is. There's nothing else sounds like that." Suddenly her eyes lit up. "If we can hear it maybe he can hear us." She leaned close to the crack. "Doctor! Doctor! It's Jackie! Doctor, can you hear me?"

He grabbed her shoulders and tried to pull her away.

"Jacks," he said, but she resisted him. "Jacks! He can't hear you."

"You don't know that…Doctor!"

"That's his…police box we're hearing. Not him. I don't think he can hear you over it anyway."

She gave in and started to cry.

"I was just…I was just hoping. If he knew, he could help her. He could save her. I know he could. He'd never leave her in a place like that," she sobbed.

"I know-"

"Her phone," Jacks suddenly said, pulling away from him.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"Wait here. I'll be right back."

He watched her run out of the room, wondering what had gotten into her. _Phone? _What phone? He didn't have long to wait. A few minutes later she ran back in the room holding Rose's phone.

"I stopped by their flat last week," she started, but noticed the look he gave her. "I know I said I wouldn't go over there again, but it's a good thing I did. I saw this on the stand by the door and brought it home."

"I don't understand," he said, eyeing her warily. She was talking fast and he was starting to think that maybe his wife had finally lost it. She'd been grieving over Rose for months. Hardly sleeping.

"It's the phone the Doctor fixed for her. Don't you see?" When he didn't answer she continued. "It's got his number in it. We can hear his TARDIS, but he can't hear us because either that sound is too loud or maybe the crack's outside, but maybe we can call him."

He stared at her completely stunned. She was right, or she might be right. If they could call him, but then what if he couldn't get through? He'd sealed the walls of reality. Then again there were cracks. That's how he'd gotten there in the first place with Mickey and Rose. They fell through a crack. It was worth a try. Then a thought struck him.

"But we don't know his number."

"It's programmed," she said, bringing up Rose's phone book. "See…there…The Doctor."

He saw the hope in her eyes and he wasn't going to dash it. He took the phone and pressed send.

* * *

Jack sat in his office at Torchwood going over the latest scans of a small crack that had been detected in a small town called Leadworth. It seemed to be a crack in the skin of the universe. He tried to call the Doc, but for some reason the Time Lord wouldn't answer. Actually, it'd been Rosie who answered when he called and she was gone.

The Doc left her in that parallel universe with the Meta-Crisis and Jack could've strangled him for that. No matter what the Doc said he couldn't believe she'd be happy. Not after everything she went through to get back to the Time Lord.

Jack's phone began to ring, bringing him out of his thoughts. He dug the mobile out of his pocket and looked at the ID. _What? How? _It was Rosie. His Rosie. But…but that wasn't… He almost dropped it as he quickly pressed the talk button.

"Rosie?" he asked, tentatively.

"No, this is Pete. Rose's father. I need to talk to the Doctor. Is he there?" a man said.

_Pete? _Jack remembered Rosie telling him that she found her dad in the parallel universe when she fought the Cybermen with Mickey and the Doc. Was this that Pete? But how could he be calling?

"No, the Doc's not here, but I'm a friend of your daughter."

"Who is this?"

"This is Jack. Jack Harkness. I work at Torchwood."

"Torchwood?"

"Yeah. Are you Pete Tyler from the parallel universe?"

"Yes."

"Did you find a way back? Is Rosie with you?"

"No, it's…I work at Torchwood here, well, I did, but I still have some friends and we…well, there's a crack. It's only a small one, but I'm…I was able to get through with Rose's phone, but I was trying to call the Doctor."

"The TARDIS must have redirected the call to me."

He remembered Rosie telling him that the TARDIS could do that, but he wasn't sure why she was doing it now.

"Listen…Jack, right?"

"Yeah."

"Listen. I don't have a lot of time. It's…it's Rose. She's being held-"

His chest tightened in fear. Rosie was in trouble. Where the hell was that Meta-Crisis? He was supposed to be looking after her.

"Held? Why? What happened?"

"She's being held at a government base."

"A government base? Why would they do that? Can't you get to her?"

So many emotions were swirling around inside of him. How could Pete let that happen? Why would the government take her? What the hell was going on?

"I've been denied access to Torchwood. I've tried to get to her, but there isn't anything I can do. I thought…I hoped the Doctor-"

The Doc wouldn't even answer the phone for her? Is that why the TARDIS redirected the call? Next time he saw that Time Lord he'd… He pushed his anger aside. Rosie was in trouble. She needed help and if he had to do it alone he'd save her.

"Do you have the coordinates of where she's being held?"

"Yes."

Jack grabbed his scratchpad and a pen.

"What are they?"

Pete rattled off the location and he wrote it down.

"Can you get them to the Doctor?" Pete asked.

"Don't worry I'll take care of it."

"I-" But Jack never learned what Pete was going to say because the line was cut off. The crack that allowed him to call through the Void must have sealed.

He knew it was late, but he wanted to get his team started. He picked up the phone to call Gwen first with one idea in his mind. If Pete could call across the Void through a small crack then maybe if they found a larger one he could cross into their universe. He wasn't sure exactly how he was going to do it or if he'd be able to get back, but none of that mattered. What mattered was helping Rosie and if it was the last thing he did he'd find a way to save her.

* * *

Rose stared up at the white ceiling. Kovarian just finished running another scan on her baby. They scans had become a daily occurrence after Rose collapsed two months ago. With the pregnancy the added stress was too much for her.

The Master actually became concerned, but she knew his concern for her well being had more to do with him wanting to use her as a weapon, a weapon he wouldn't have if something happened to her, than because he actually cared. The only person the Master truly cared about was himself.

She wasn't in her room anymore. She'd been moved to another room in the medical bay where they kept her strapped down to a table for _her own good _as the Master put it. It probably wouldn't have happened if she hadn't tried to escape when Kovarian left her alone with the nurse, but she had to try.

She heard the door slide open and rolled her eyes, knowing what was coming next. He was coming to check on her like he did every day.

"How's my beautiful girl doing today?" The Master asked nearly skipping into the room.

She'd prefer his sour mood to his happy, playful mood. At least she'd know what to expect.

"I'm not your girl," she snapped.

"Oh, feisty." He stepped over to the bed, or table was probably a more accurate description, she amended. "That's good. Means you're getting stronger."

"Why don't you take the restraints off my wrists and we'll see how strong I am, yeah?"

He smiled down at her and all she wanted to do was smack that grin off of his face.

"As much fun as that sounds I'm afraid I have to decline. You were put on strict bed rest, remember? Wouldn't want anything to happen to our little girl," he said, resting his hand on the rounded part of her stomach as he gazed down almost lovingly, making her want to kick him.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled.

He smiled and then leaned down, resting his ear against her stomach because he knew how much she hated it. She struggled in her restraints.

"I can hear her hearts beating. Oh, that is marvelous!"

"Get off of me!"

He stood up and caught her eye.

"Now, now, you really must calm down. All that fussing is going to stress you out and you wouldn't want to do anything to hurt our little girl, would you?"

She loathed him. He was always touching her stomach and calling her daughter _their _little girl. He'd even been there when Kovarian did the ultrasound.

"She's not yours!"

"She could be…she will be and so will you."

It would be a cold day in hell before that happened.

"Never!"

"Never say never…or was it never say never ever?"

How did he know what the Doctor said to her? She pulled a stone mask over her face. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he shocked her.

Instead she laughed.

"You really think throwing his words back at me is going to…what? Upset me?"

"No. No, no, no, I'm not trying to upset you, my sweet," he said, reaching down and sliding a lock of hair behind her ear. She jerked her head away from him, making him smile. He put one hand on either side of the table and leaned down until his face was inches from hers. "You and me, Rosie," he bent down closer, so he could whisper the last bit in her ear, "we're going to be a family."

Then he jumped back, which was probably a good idea on his part since she was seriously considering biting him, but then he might've liked that. The thought almost made her laugh, but more of a manic laugh, then an actual one.

"That's never going to happen," she hissed.

"Oh, it'll happen," he laughed, spinning around. "And it's going to be fantastic!"

"So, what? You want to be a family now? I thought you wanted to kill the Doctor."

"Oh, I do and I will or you will."

"Not likely."

"But it is, very likely. No, not likely because likely means it's probably going to happen, but killing the Doctor _is _going to happen. Definitely going to happen. And you," he stepped closer to the table again, "my beautiful girl are the one who's going to do it."

"Never!"

"Never, never, never, never," he mock pouted. "I'm never going to kill the Doctor because I love him."

"Stop it!"

"When are you going to realize that he doesn't love you? He didn't just drop you off on a street corner like he did to Sarah Jane. Oh, no he wanted to make sure you didn't follow him. Couldn't follow him. He brought you back here. To a parallel universe and pawned a copy of himself off on you. To keep you here. Make sure you didn't look for a way back."

"That's not true!"

"But it is," he said, leaning on the table and catching her eye. "I know it's hard to hear, but I'm trying to be honest with you, like the Doctor never was because…well, we've spent a lot of time together. You and me. And we've developed a kind of relationship-"

"Captor, captive," she laughed. "Great relationship we have."

"Don't be so negative. I stopped your visits with the Silent, didn't I?"

"What visits? What's a Silent?"

"Oh, yes, I forgot you wouldn't remember. My point is that I've taken care of you…you and our little girl. The Doctor might have left you, but don't you worry. I'll never leave you. Never ever." He stepped back and spun around, excitedly. "It's you and me Rosie. He loved us, both of us at one point. His best friend and his former lover." He stepped closer to her and leaned down, gazing in her eyes. "We were made for each other, Rosie, and I'll make sure we stay together forever."

* * *

The Master strode down the hall toward the lab. He needed to check the latest reports on the cracks that were appearing. He was the only one who knew what they really were. Two parts of space and time that should never have touched, pressed together. He wasn't sure where they came from or how they could've occurred in the first place. Kovarian rounded the corner.

"Ah, Kovarian. Coming to tell me about the reports?" he asked, smiling at her.

"I saw that little exchange," she snapped.

"What little exchange?"

"Between you and that girl."

The smile slid from his face. She'd been listening in on his conversation? He wouldn't have someone checking up on him. Did she forget her place? He'd have to remind her.

"What the hell were you doing listening to my conversation?"

"Making sure you didn't go back on your word."

_Back on his word? _What the hell gave her the right to question his motives?

"And what would make you think I was going to?"

"Oh, please," she mocked. "I've seen the way you look at her."

What the hell was she talking about? _The way he looked at her. _Her who? Rose? He almost laughed at the idea. He was using her. That's all. Toying with her emotions.

"The way I-"

"Don't play dumb. You said we were going to use her as a weapon and I'm not about to let you get all sentimental."

_Dumb? Me? _That was enough to make him strangle her. No, have the Silents kill her. Yes, that would be more entertaining. He narrowed his eyes.

"Need I remind you who's in charge? That Eye Drive might protect you from having your mind altered, but it doesn't protect you from being killed."

Her eye widened and she took a step back.

"I…only meant that-" she faltered.

Fear. Yes, that was much better. She needed to understand her place.

"She is going to kill the Doctor. I haven't changed my mind about that. We're keeping her child safe because I might have to use her daughter to get Rose to do what I want…what we want."

She recovered from her shock and eyed him, though a bit warily.

"I still think we should be using the Silents on her."

Had she forgotten what happened?

"It's too dangerous. She already collapsed once I'm not going to let that happen again. If we lose her we lose our most powerful weapon against him."

"We could take precautions-"

He had enough. He wasn't going to use the Silents on her. After her baby was born he'd consider it again, but for now it was far too dangerous. Rose was too…important, but not in the way Kovarian thought. No, she was important because of what she could do. The power inside of her. Not because he felt anything for her, well, anything beyond what he might feel for any weapon that would help him kill the man who'd plagued his life since childhood. Yes, that's all it was.

"I said no!" he snapped and then softened a moment later. "Oh, Kovarian, don't ever forget who's in charge here. I'm the Master and I've already told you she's mine. Her and the baby. She'll kill the Doctor. I'll make sure of it, but we're doing this my way if you can't handle that…well, there's always death. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes," she stammered.

"Good," he smiled, clapping his hands together. "Now, let's go see about those reports."

He started down the hall and heard her fall into step behind him. Humans could be so annoying. They always had to push the boundaries, but it was easy enough to put them back in their place.

* * *

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome. :)


	24. Practice Makes Perfect

I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

* * *

The Master was in a panic. Rose would've laughed if not for the pain that lanced through her with each contraction. The doctors were scrambling around her, trying to stop her labor because the Master knew, knew what James knew. That giving birth to a Time Lord child would kill a human.

She wasn't human, not anymore and he knew that, but he didn't know what the TARDIS had done. He didn't know she couldn't die until the Doctor's TARDIS died because their lives were intertwined. That was a secret she'd never share with him.

She screamed as another contraction ripped through her body and then the baby was coming.

"Stop this, stop it!" he yelled, but the Master wasn't in control of the situation.

She felt it. The energy radiating from her child. It flowed through her. She heard the heart monitor pick up speed. The beeps almost merging together. The Master screamed her name and she was falling….falling through darkness.

* * *

The Master screamed, lunging at the bed, as if he could somehow make Rose come back. He couldn't lose her. Wouldn't lose her. She was too important. He needed her…needed her to…to…kill the Doctor. Yes, that's why he needed her.

He grabbed her shoulders and shook her as Kovarian tried to pull him away. He swatted at the woman. He had to make the girl wake up. Had to bring her back.

"Rose! Don't you leave me! Don't you dare leave me!" he shouted.

The heart monitor beeped. His eyes snapped to the machine. One beep. Then another. And another. He turned his attention back to the girl. Her eyes moved behind her closed lids. Alive! She was alive!

"Rose?" he asked, not entirely sure why his voice sounded so…thick.

Her eyes opened. She looked around as if she didn't know where she was. He wanted to find out what happened. She died. Died and came back. How was that possible? Was it the time energy? Must be. Her eyes suddenly locked on his and he could feel power radiating from them. Oh, that was brill-

His thoughts were cut off as a scream tore through his mind. He yelled grabbing the sides of his head. It felt like his mind was being ripped in half. He doubled over, falling to his knees. White, hot pain seared through him.

* * *

Rose smiled, sitting up with all the remaining strength she had as she focused her new TARDIS ability on the one man who'd made her life a living hell for six months. She would make sure he never got anywhere near her daughter. She could hear the doctors and nurse screaming, but she ignored them. They weren't the problem. He was. The Master.

"Let him go," Kovarian's voice cut through the room.

Rose looked at the woman. Kovarian held a small bundle in her arms. Rose's daughter. The woman had a knife poised inches from the baby's chest. Fear ripped through her heart. She released the Master.

He stood up, but instead of turning his attention on her, he focused on Kovarian as he crossed the room.

"What the hell," he snapped, taking the baby from her, but not roughly, "do you think you're doing? I told you they're mine. Mine!"

"She was going to-"

"You idiot! She's not strong enough to kill me. Not yet."

"How was I supposed to-"

"Get out!" He turned to the doctors and nurse. "All of you! Get the hell out of here!"

Everyone scrambled out of the room. Kovarian gave him a disproving glance before following them out the door.

Rose felt her strength waning. She tried to remain sitting up, but her body felt heavy. She watched him walk back toward her bed with her daughter in his arms. What was he doing? Why was he so upset at Kovarian?

"Now, Rosie," he said, smiling at the way she frowned when he used the name Jack called her. That's why he was doing it, because he knew how much she hated hearing Jack's pet name come out of his mouth. "This is what's going to happen. I'm going to let you take care of our girl. I'll even put you back in your room with all the amenities a mum should have and in exchange you're going to be…civil…no, more than that. You're going to do whatever I tell you. I'd hate to take her away from you, but I will if you can't behave. Do you understand?"

* * *

He watched comprehension wash over her as fear crept into her hazel eyes. Yes, she understood. She nodded and he knew she didn't want him to hear the fear in her voice, but he could see it. He smiled.

"Good. Now you need to get some rest. Will you do that for me?" Another nod. "Don't worry. I'll take care of our girl while you're sleeping." Her eyes flitted fearfully to her daughter and then back to him. "She'll be safe. I promise."

He could tell she didn't trust him, but he was being honest this time. She might be the Doctor's, but the baby was still a Time Lord and he wasn't going to let some stinking ape kill her. Plus, he needed her to keep Rose in line. Yes, that's why she needed to stay safe. To keep the girl who would kill the Doctor in line.

Rose laid down and closed her eyes. He watched as exhaustion pulled her into sleep. She was much stronger than he thought. She ripped into his mind like it was butter and he had one of the strongest Time Lord minds. Oh, she was brilliant!

The only being he knew of who could get into a Time Lord's mind like that was a…a…but she couldn't be. Could she? He gazed down at her. He thought about the way he'd been jolted out of her mind just like… _No! _She was. He giggled gleefully, making the baby shift. _Oh, this is fantastic! _He knew what she was. It was too perfect. He brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. _Perfect. _

He crossed the room and laid the baby down in the bassinette. He knew how to control her abilities now. It wouldn't take him long to put something together and then she'd never leave. Never ever. And once the Doctor was taken care of they'd both be his. Forever.

* * *

The Master handed the Eye Drive to Kovarian.

"It's done," he said.

"They'll listen to me with this?" she asked.

"Yes, that's what I said," he replied in annoyance.

Of course, he didn't tell her that his commands overrode hers, but she didn't need to know that unless she tried to stab him in the back. Then she'd find out. As long as she obeyed she'd be fine. At least, until she wasn't useful anymore, but that was another thing she didn't need to know.

She slid the Eye Drive back on. A moment later a Silent stepped into his office. She smiled. Satisfied that it worked.

"If you're done playing with them you really do need to be on your way."

He wanted her out of there. That's the whole reason he was sending her through the crack. Her and most of the Silents. Now that he knew the creatures didn't work on Rose anymore he wanted to put the first part of his plan into action.

Kovarian would cross over into his universe, find the Doctor, and kill him if possible, which he was pretty sure she wouldn't manage, but he kept that to himself. As soon as he realized that some of the cracks lead back to his universe he knew there was a chance the Doctor would return to this one and he couldn't have the other Time Lord returning before he was ready. So, Kovarian would keep him busy while the Master trained Rose.

* * *

Rose tucked the blanket around her daughter. It'd only been two days since she was born. Two days since Rose died. Her daughter wasn't the only one who was born that night. She was born or reborn as it were. She was still the same, still Rose, but different.

The Master was coming. She could sense him. Another ability she had. She knew more about him now, after tearing through his mind. Knew why he hated the Doctor. Knew what the Time Lords had done to him. She intended to use that knowledge against him. He might be able to force her hand, but she sure in hell wasn't going to make it easy for him.

The door slid open, but she stayed where she was, near the crib, watching her daughter sleep.

"I've made something to protect myself, just in case you tried to kill me again," he said, cheerfully, making her roll her eyes.

"I'm not going to kill you," she said.

She heard him step closer to her.

"That's a change."

She took a deep breath, steadying herself before she turned around to face him.

"I know about the drums."

His eyes widened. She stepped away from the crib before he could close the distance between them.

"What? How do you-"

"Same way I know that you were trapped in the time lock because you saved the Doctor."

He growled, stepping closer to her. His eyes glaring into hers, but she didn't waver. She had to hold her ground. It was the only way to unnerve him.

"I did not save the Doctor! I attacked Rassilon for what he did to me! I was NOT trying to save the Doctor!"

She smiled with effort because she couldn't let him think she was afraid.

"Then why'd you tell him to get out of the way? Why didn't you kill him too?"

"I…" he fumed, nearly throwing a fit, "…there wasn't time. I had to attack Rassilon before he was strong enough to attack me!"

The baby started to cry and she moved toward the crib, but he grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop.

"Let me go," she didn't yell, but her voice was forceful. They locked gazes for a moment and then he softened.

"You want to play games? Then let's play a game," he said, smirking at her. "Let's play...what are you, shall we?" If he thought she was going to tell him what she was he'd better think again. "What has the power to get inside a Time Lord's mind. Not only that, but see him memories. Oh, and kick him out of her mind with a spark of time energy. Hmmmm, I wonder what that is. Oh, wait! I know! Because, you see, I have a TARDIS too, was raised around them. I am a Time Lord, after all." Her eyes widened in shock, making him smile. "Awww, did I guess your secret? Suppose we're even then." He released her arm. "Well, what are you waiting for? Our little girl is calling."

She eyed him warily then crossed the room to pick up her daughter. He knew. How did he figure it out? She knew he was bound to put it together eventually, but she hoped she'd have more time. Time to come up with a way to escape.

"Don't keep her all to yourself," the Master said. She looked up to find him standing in front of her holding his arms out expectantly. She made no move to hand her daughter over. "Don't make me say it again."

Reluctantly, she handed her baby over. He cradled her, gazing at her almost lovingly as he gently rocked her.

"I think she looks like me. What do you think?"

"You're not her father."

"I'd make a great father."

She couldn't stop the laugh from escaping her throat. He glanced at her.

"You think the man who destroyed Gallifrey would be any better?" he asked.

"He didn't have a choice," she snapped.

"You'd say that."

He turned around to hand her daughter to a Silent that entered the room without her noticing. Fear lanced through her heart.

"What are you doing?"

"Just finding a sitter while we work on your abilities."

"I don't want that thing watching her."

"Now, but nice, Rosie. Don't hurt his feelings, at least, I think he has feelings. Never actually checked."

The Silent walked out of the room passing a middle aged man who stepped inside led by two more creatures. He looked around fearfully.

"What's going on?" Rose asked.

"This is…what was your name again?"

"M-Mike, sir," the nervous man replied.

"Mike. This is Mike. He's here to help you learn to use your abilities."

"What do you mean?"

"You're going to do to him what you did to me in the medical bay."

_What? _He wanted her to torture someone? That certainly wasn't going to happen.

"No, I'm not."

"You are if you want to see your daughter again."

Her eyes locked on his. He was serious. She couldn't do that. She wouldn't! He was trying to use her daughter, but what would he do if she refused? If he realized that using her daughter wouldn't work then he'd have no power over her. Of course it could completely backfire if he actually did take her away, but she couldn't torture anyone. She couldn't let him change her like that. If he did he'd win and she refused to let that happen.

"Do what you want. I'm not torturing him so you can get some sick pleasure out of watching it."

"I'm doing this for you."

"I'm still not doing it," she insisted.

"You're willing to lose your daughter over some human?"

She took a steadying breath as fear tightened its hold on her heart.

"If I do this then I've already lost my daughter. So, yeah."

"What? I said I'd give her back if you do it."

"That's not what I mean and you know it."

"No, actually I have no idea what you mean."

"If I did that I'd never be able to look at my daughter the same again. It would change me."

"But changing is good. Look at me, I've changed. I do it each time I regenerate."

She looked in his eyes and realized he really didn't know what she was talking about. How did he become like this? He wasn't always this way. She'd seen his memories. She'd seen the young boy standing in front of the Time Vortex. The drums. The tormenting drums. That's what changed him. Thinking he'd gone mad. Forever hearing them. Even in his dreams.

She couldn't help reaching out because she wasn't seeing the Master. She saw the boy. A young boy standing in front of the Time Vortex.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she said, touching his cheek.

His eyes widened and he jumped back as if she slapped him.

"Don't…don't do that!" he yelled, touching his cheek where her hand had been.

"I didn't do anything," she protested.

"I'm not that person. Not anymore." He pulled a sonic, much different from the Doctor's, out of his pocket and aimed it at Mike whose eyes grew as round as saucers.

"No!" she shouted.

He fired his sonic at the man. It struck Mike, making him scream then he crumpled to the ground.

"This is who I am. This! Now! Do you understand?"

"Why did you do that?"

"Because you wouldn't listen. Now, you're either going to practice or I'm going to kill them. One by one. It's your choice."

* * *

Standard Disclaimer.

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome. :)


	25. Rescue

Rose held the small bundle as she absentmindedly rocked the chair. The normalness of lulling her daughter to sleep in a rocking chair was almost ludicrous because the situation she was in was so far from normal.

She was still trying to come to terms with everything that'd happened. Not with the fact that she was being held prisoner by an insane Time Lord who wanted to kill the man she loved. It was the fact that the Master was going to make her torture innocent people so she could learn how to control her abilities. That was something she couldn't come to terms with. How could she ever look in the mirror again after he forced her to do that?

She was able to talk him into one more day. One more day before he changed her. She knew all she was doing was putting off the inevitable, but something told her that it was important. One more day would matter.

Her daughter shifted in her arms. She pushed her stray thoughts aside as she gazed into her baby girl's hazel eyes. She didn't have much time and she knew she shouldn't waste it worrying.

"It's alright, sweetheart," she cooed. "Everything will be fine."

It was a lie. She knew it was a lie, but she couldn't admit the truth, not even to herself because the truth was, for the first time in her life, Rose felt completely hopeless. There wasn't anything she could do and no one was going to help. No one would save her this time.

The Master would be coming soon and she'd have no choice, but to do what he wanted. She either tortured innocent people or he killed them. She forced the tears back. The last thing she'd do is give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

If only there was some way to save her baby. Some way to get her away from him, but Rose knew how useless hoping was. It hadn't gotten her anywhere in all the time she'd been there.

Just then there was a flash of light and a man appeared. A man she never thought she'd see again. She froze, completely afraid that she'd finally lost her mind. That if she moved at all he'd disappear. He couldn't be there. It wasn't possible.

"Rosie," he said, giving her his famous smile and for the first time in six months she was glad to hear the name.

"J-Jack?" she asked, barely above a whisper.

"The one and only," he beamed.

She jumped to her feet and ran to him, pulling him into a hug with her free arm. Tears trailed down her cheeks.

"How?" she asked. "I thought…the Doctor said crossing the Void was impossible."

"What can I say? I guess I'm just better than him," he teased.

"No, really, how'd you manage it?"

"Let's just say I had some help. There isn't time for me to explain everything. This jump only lasts for a couple minutes then I'll be pulled back through." He looked around. "Where are we anyway?"

Jack came to save her, but how did he know she was there? He was back in her universe. How could he possibly know what was happening to her?

"Why are you here?"

"I need a reason to see my Rosie?"

"Jack," she insisted.

"Your dad managed to get a message to me. He was actually trying to contact the Doctor, but the TARDIS redirected the message to Torchwood and, long story short, here I am, but…" His eyes fell on the baby. "…who's that? That's not…?"

"My daughter, yeah," Rose said, smiling down at her baby.

"Oh, this is…" Jack looked at Rose sadly. "He didn't say anything about you having a baby."

Of course he hadn't said anything. Her parents didn't even know. She planned on telling them, but she was abducted before she was able to. Why was Jack so concerned about it?

"So, what? Does having a baby change things?"

"Well, not like that. I mean, I love you. You're still my Rosie. It's just…" he looked at the baby again. "I can only take one of you with me."

_One? _Why could he only take one of them? Maybe it was because of the way he traveled. If there was one person she knew would never lie to her it was Jack.

"Can you come back?"

"No, I've…it took a long time to get everything right. We had to find a crack through to this universe, which was unbelievably difficult, and the power this is taking. You couldn't even imagine. I…I'm sorry, Rosie. This is the only trip I'm going to be able to manage. I mean, maybe I could come back, try again, but I don't know how long that's going to take."

Rose didn't even have to think about it. There was only one choice. She kissed her daughter's forehead, whispered _I love you_, then handed her to Jack.

"You have to take her." When he began to protest she locked her eyes with his. "Please, Jack, she's not safe here. Find her…find her a safe home. If you can come back for me later then we'll get her back. If not…" she looked at the small bundle in Jack's arms, "…at least I'll know she's safe."

"I'll make sure she's safe Rosie. You know I will, but I don't like leaving you here," Jack said.

His eyes misted over as he accepted the small bundle.

"I'm fine. Really, I'll be fine," she said using the Doctor's patented lie.

Jack looked down at the now sleeping baby.

"So, you and the meta-crisis?"

Alarms began to go off outside the room. Rose knew they were coming.

"Her name's Violet. Violet Jane Tyler." There were so many things he needed to know, but not enough time. "Don't take her to a doctor, Jack. Promise me you won't."

"I…I…"

"Promise me, Jack!"

"I won't. I…I promise."

She could see the confusion in his eyes, but there wasn't time. She knew if she told him he'd be too stunned to leave and he had to get out of there. "No medicine either. Don't give her anything, ever!" She could hear footsteps so she gave him a shove. "Go Jack. You have to go now!" Rose insisted.

Jack gave her one last confused, tearful look then vanished in a flash. A moment later the door opened and the Master stepped into the room, looking around.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

"Nothing," Rose said.

He stepped around the room as if searching for something. He lifted up the bedcovers, looked in the crib, then under the crib, and then stepped into the bathroom. When he finished his search he turned on her.

"Where is she?" he insisted.

"Somewhere you'll never find her," she replied, giving him a smile.

He grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

"Tell me where she is!"

"No!"

He locked his eyes with hers, but she wasn't going to back down. She didn't care what he did to her or anyone else. He wasn't going to find out where her daughter was.

"If you don't tell me you're going to regret it."

"Kill me if you want. I'm not telling you anything!"

He softened his hold on her arms. A smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"Kill you?" He pulled her closer and then tightened his hold again when she started to struggle. "Rosie, don't you know how important you are to me?"

"I'm sure," she scoffed.

He held her gaze for another minute before releasing her.

"If you won't tell me I suppose I'll have to find out for myself," he said, taking her wrist. "Come on."

"Where?" she asked, stunned that he wanted her to come with him.

In the six months she'd been held there the only time she left the room was for tests and when they kept her strapped down in the medical bay.

"To take a look at the camera feed," he replied, as if she should already know that.

"Camera feed?"

She glanced around the room.

"Oh, you wouldn't see it. Perception filter." He led her out of the room and then stopped, as if he suddenly thought of something. "And trying to escape would just be a waste of both our time. Especially when you're wearing this." He lifted her wrist, the one he'd been holding, so she could see a device similar to the one he wore.

"What is that?"

"Telepathic barrier. You're abilities won't work while you're wearing it and don't try to take it off…unless you like electric shocks shooting through your body."

* * *

The Master smiled as her eyes widened. She didn't even notice when he clamped it on her wrist, but then she was distracted, trying to be all defiant. Even with everything she'd gone through that spark was still there. _Brilliant! _

He pulled her down the hall toward the security room. He wasn't sure how she'd gotten her daughter out of that room. Someone must have helped her. He'd find out who it was a deal with them.

He threw the door open and pulled Rose in the room behind him. He eyed the only other person in the room, a kid who couldn't be much more than twenty.

"Bring up the last twenty minutes of the security feed for room thirty-four," he ordered.

The kid jumped at the sound of his voice and began typing furiously on the keyboard. The Master would've done it himself, but he didn't want to let go of Rose. He couldn't be sure she wouldn't try to escape and the last thing he wanted to do was chase her down the hall.

He waited impatiently and a few moments later the feed began to play on the monitor. Rose was rocking her baby and then there was a flash and…

"Jack," he growled. "How the hell did he get here?" He eyed Rose. "How did he even know where you were?" She stared back at him and he knew she wasn't going to tell him. He could make her, but he didn't have time for that right now. "Bring up the sound."

"There's…there's no sound, sir," the kid stammered.

"What?"

The kid winced in fear as the outraged Time Lord glared at him.

"Something…something went wrong with the…with the sound. I…I told Captain Grant, but-"

He reached for his sonic intent on killing the stupid kid when he felt a hand on his. He glanced up, startled. Rose was staring into his eyes.

"It-it was my dad, yeah? He told Jack where I was."

"How did he get here?"

"I don't know." He searched her eyes, trying to determine if she was lying or not. "Really, he didn't tell me. He just said he only had a few minutes and then he'd be pulled back. He didn't say how he got here."

_He'd be pulled back? _He crossed the Void, but whatever allowed him to cross pulled him back. What could he have used that would do that? A few things came to mind, but nothing Jack would have access to unless…then he realized Jack knew where he was. Jack knew the Doctor. If he told the Doctor where the Master was and that he had Rose…

He pulled his hand away from hers and tightened his other one on her wrist before shooting down the hall, dragging her behind.

"Where are we going?" she asked, but he ignored her question.

He had to get them out of there. He couldn't let the Doctor find Rose…not before he finished training her. When she was ready then he could find her, but not now. No, definitely not now.

He pulled her into a room at the end of the hall and over to a wardrobe. He fumbled for the key with his free hand and then pulled it out to unlock the door.

"Is that?" she asked, glancing from the key to the wardrobe.

"The chameleon circuit works on mine," he said, unlocking the door and dragging her inside.

He noticed the look on her face and realized she must be taking in the differences between his TARDIS and the one she traveled in with the Doctor.

"It's a bit different from the one you're used to."

"Actually, I was thinking how similar it is."

He was halfway to the console, but her statement stopped him dead in his tracks. _Similar? _What was she talking about? There wasn't any coral. Everything was completely different.

"It looks nothing like the Doctor's TARDIS," he insisted.

"Oh, right. You wouldn't have seen the TARDIS after he regenerated."

"Regenerated?"

He couldn't have regenerated. The meta-crisis wouldn't look the same if he had. He was about to question her further when the TARDIS made a strange noise, which reminded him why he was there in the first place. He continued to the console and flipped a lever to start the time rotor.

* * *

Standard Disclaimer.

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome. :)


	26. Waiting

Jack stood in the abandoned building wiping the tears from his eyes with the palm of his free hand. He gazed down at the still sleeping baby and smiled sadly. She looked so much like Rosie. Violet, her daughter.

"Did it work Jack? Did you find her?" Gwen asked rushing into the building. She drew to a halt as her eyes fell on the baby.

"It worked. I found her," Jack confirmed.

"But…" Gwen gestured at the baby. "…what happened?"

Ianto entered the building, looking from Gwen to Jack and then the baby.

"She's Rosie's daughter."

"What?"

"Yeah, I know. I was surprised too."

"Did you find out why they were holding her?" Ianto asked.

"No, there wasn't enough time. I…I had to leave her," Jack's voice broke.

Gwen crossed the room and took the baby.

"We'll try again."

"We can't," Ianto said.

Gwen shot him a glare and then nodded at Jack, but Jack knew that setting everything up again would be nearly impossible.

"I know. We'll just have to keep trying the Doc. He has to answer eventually," Jack conceded.

"What about that woman? The one who helped us," Gwen asked.

"I don't even know if we'll see her again."

"What are we going to do with her?" Gwen asked as she nodded at the still sleeping baby.

"I promised Rosie we'd find her a good home."

"Where?"

"I've been thinking about that. There's an older couple I know. Helped them out a while ago. They've got a cottage in the country. I think it'd be nice for her."

"An older couple?" Gwen asked. "Wouldn't she be better off-"

"I trust them and I promised Rosie. If by some miracle she does make it back she'll want her daughter. These people will understand. Plus if I ever do get in touch with the Doc they won't be shocked to find a blue police box materializing in the front yard."

"You think he'd want to see her?"

"Maybe, she is Rosie's daughter. Rose will always mean a lot to the Doc, even if he won't admit it himself. Also, some things Rosie said. I want to check something when we get back to Torchwood."

"Check what?"

"I'll fill you in on the way."

He knew there was only one reason Rosie would tell him not to ever take her daughter to a doctor. He didn't know much about the Meta-Crisis and if this was even possible, but Jack had to know the truth. He wished the Doc was there since he was the only one who'd really know. If the Time Lord didn't answer the phone he really hoped that woman would return. He wished she'd given him her name, but when he asked she'd just smiled and said, _Spoilers. _

* * *

River watched from her vantage point behind another building as Jack, Ianto, Gwen, and the baby piled into the van. She wanted to make sure everything went smoothly.

The TARDIS directed her to the small crack a few months ago and she was able to listen in on the phone call between Jack and Rose's dad. After that she kept a close eye on Jack's progress with his team and when she realized they wouldn't be able to pull crossing the Void off themselves she'd stepped in to help.

Of course she couldn't give Jack her name, just in case he was able to connect her with the Doctor. She couldn't let the Time Lord find out about Rose or the baby yet. It was too early in his timeline. There were events that needed to play out first.

So, she'd explained about traveling through the crack using his Vortex Manipulator after some adjustments. She told him he'd only have a few minutes and could only take one passenger or it wouldn't work, which wasn't entirely true, but it was a necessary lie because if Rose came through too soon she'd be lost. Her and her child and there would be nothing River could do to save them.

The baby had to come through first. That's how the TARDIS had known. It was a time loop. River had to save Rose's child so the TARDIS would find out about her child and send River to save her child. If Rose came through at the same time the whole thing would shatter.

That was also the reason the TARDIS wasn't taking Jack's calls. He'd been trying to call the Doctor nearly every day and River was sure he'd keep at it for a while, but eventually he'd give up, at least she hoped so because one slip and everything could fall apart.

* * *

Rose sat on the jump seat as they flew further and further away from her only hope of being rescued. Her only consolation was knowing that now he couldn't make her torture anyone. They were too far away from the compound's employees for that to work.

She might be stuck with an insane Time Lord, but at least her daughter was safe. That's the only thing that kept her from breaking down. That and the fact that she wouldn't let him see how much he hurt her.

She tried not to wonder at things. Tried not to make conversation with the man who'd made her life a living hell, but curiosity got the better of her. She couldn't change who she was, after all and she'd always been a curious sort.

"How are we moving?" she asked.

The Master glanced at her with a look similar to the one the Doctor got that made her feel like she'd dribbled on her chin.

"This…is…a…TARDIS…Rose," he said, enunciating each word and leaving off the pet name he teased her with.

She rolled her eyes.

"I know that, yeah?" she said, standing up in her annoyance. "But _this_ TARDIS isn't from _this _universe. When I crashed here with the Doctor his TARDIS stopped working. It went all dark. He said the TARDIS feeds off the energy in the universe and this is a different universe so it's like diesel in a petrol engine. So, how come your TARDIS works?"

She didn't join him at the console because she wanted to keep her distance from him.

"Diesel in a petrol engine?" he mused, giving her a smile. "That's about right. I made a…I suppose _converter_ is the right word."

"Converter?"

"It converts the energy in this universe into something the TARDIS can run on. It's still not the same as being in the proper universe," the TARDIS jumped, bouncing them around as if proving his statement true, "…but it works."

"Yeah, works great," she said, pulling herself up with the help of the railing.

"We could always go back to our universe. Find Jack. Find our little girl."

She balked. He was staring at her, waiting for a reaction. She caught his eye, trying to determine the truth of his words. He couldn't take them back…could he? The only reprieve in the heartache she felt after giving up her daughter was knowing he couldn't follow Jack. He couldn't find her baby.

"You're stuck here…like me. You can't…you can't get back."

* * *

The Master smiled at the fear in her eyes. Yes, he could get back. Take them both back, find Jack, kill him…a couple times, and then retrieve Rose's baby. He wouldn't, of course. Not yet. He couldn't chance running into the Doctor until he was ready, but she didn't know that and he liked teasing her. It was so much fun.

"That was true…before I found the cracks." Her eyes widened. Oh, yes, she knew about the cracks. "But you already knew about them, didn't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

When was she going to learn not to lie to him? Today. Now. Yes, that's when she'd learn. He'd teach her. He flipped a few levers and then the TARDIS threw them to the floor as she launched into the Time Vortex.

"Where are we going?" Rose demanded.

He pulled himself up with the console and looked at the monitor to make sure they were headed where he intended. They were.

"New Earth," he said, and smiled at the surprised look on her face. "It's a bit different in this universe. No cat nuns I'm afraid, but there's still apple-grass."

Her eyes widened and he thought if they grew any wider they might pop out of her head. He laughed.

"Why…why are you taking me there?"

He watched her pull herself up with the railing.

"To teach you, Rosie."

"Teach me?"

He crossed the room until he was standing inches from her. He leaned close, locking eyes with her.

"Teach you not to lie to me." Then he stepped back, smiling. "I don't blame you. Not really. How can you be expected to tell the truth when you traveled with him? All he does is lie," he reached out and took her cheeks in his hands, tilting her head up to look in his eyes. He could see the fear and revulsion she felt at his touch, but that would change. Oh, that would definitely change. "…but you're with me now, Rosie, and I can't have you lying to me."

"What are you going to do?"

He released her, spinning around as he danced over to the console.

"Oh, I don't know…Kill a few people? Would that get you to tell me the truth? Or how about…" he flipped another lever and then pushed a button, "…I destroy the whole planet. Would you tell me the truth then?"

He was watching the monitor and didn't notice as she crossed the room. He grabbed another lever, intent on pulling it, when he felt her hand on his. He paused and looked at her. Her eyes were misted over and he swallowed, wondering why he was suddenly feeling…

"I'll tell you, yeah? Just…just stop, please?"

_Tell me_…the truth. Yes, that's what he wanted to hear. The truth. He pulled his hand away from hers and absentmindedly rubbed the back of it before catching her gaze again. He was a little put out at not destroying the planet or killing anyone, but he was trying to teach her and it seemed she learned, but then she was quick like that. _Brilliant! _

"Jack…" She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them the fear was gone. She was getting good at that. She was changing and she didn't even know it. His smiled grew wider. "Jack told me he got through a crack."

"What else did he tell you?"

"Nothing," he eyed her, so she continued, "…Really."

"Anything about the Doctor? Did he say anything about the Doctor?"

"No."

He held her gaze for another moment before backing down. She was telling the truth. Did that mean Jack wasn't with the Doctor? Maybe, but he couldn't be sure.

"Brilliant!" he exclaimed, turning back to the console to flip levers.

The TARDIS launched back into the Time Vortex. He grabbed the console to keep from falling and noticed Rose do the same.

* * *

Standard Disclaimer.

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome. :)


	27. Messages, Babies, and Freedom

Sorry this chapter took so long. Ran into a bit of a snag. I hope you guys enjoy it! :)

* * *

River always knew this day would come and now it was here. The Doctor was saying goodbye. Not _see you later. _Not _until next time. _Goodbye. He wouldn't say the actual words, partly because she couldn't know, but mostly because the Doctor didn't like endings and that's what goodbye was, an ending.

She knew it the moment she looked away from the Singing Towers and noticed he was crying. That was another thing the Doctor didn't do. She tried to pretend there was another reason, but she couldn't deny it any longer. So, She put on the mask that she'd forged over her years with Madam Kovarian and then with the Doctor. She couldn't let him know she knew. This was hard enough on him.

"Don't think that lets you off the hook," she teased, giving him a smile as she released his jacket.

"What hook?"

"My shoes are completely ruined."

"Oh, yes, well, I'm sorry about that, but really I wasn't aiming for the fountain and if you hadn't been trying to fly her behind my back-"

"So, now it's my fault, is it?"

"No…I mean yes…I mean no…it was an accident."

"I know, sweetie. I'm only teasing."

"Oh, right, well…I'm glad you had a nice evening."

She knew she had to give it to him. She promised the TARDIS and she knew he couldn't be alone. It hurt her to think about him with someone else, but she couldn't say she loved him if she wasn't willing to do anything to make him happy. She only hoped he'd forgive her for keeping it from him.

"I have something for you," she said, opening her purse and digging out the envelope.

"For me? You really don't have to…"

"Yes, I do." She took out the envelope and handed it to him. "It's…" she put her hand on his chest, catching his eye, "I…I'm sorry. I really am, but I hope you'll understand."

"What is it?" he asked, suspiciously.

He took the envelope and looked as if it might explode.

"Wait until you're back in the TARDIS."

"River?"

"Just…" She felt the tears threatening to fall, but she pushed them back. Crying was something she didn't do. "They're coordinates and a date. Just promise me you'll go to that place at that exact time."

"Why?"

"It's important. Promise me."

He held her gaze for a moment, but she hid her emotions because she knew he was trying to read her.

"I…I will. I promise."

* * *

The Doctor walked back into the TARDIS wondering what had gotten into River. He knew she suspected something when she pulled away and looked into his eyes. She could see it. He knew she could. He'd expected her to say something, but he should've known better. River, of all people, knew how dangerous future knowledge was.

But the envelope. He hadn't expected that. And the way she'd apologized. It reminded him of what she said before she whispered his name into his ear all those years ago at the library. He looked at the envelope a moment, contemplating on whether or not he should open it.

He unlocked the door and stepped into the TARDIS. As he crossed the room to the console he looked at the envelope again. _Coordinates. _Coordinates for what? When? _A final goodbye? _Maybe. If that was true then as long as he had it, as long as the envelope remained sealed, he wouldn't have to say goodbye. He shoved the envelope into his pocket. Goodbyes could wait. They could always wait.

* * *

Rose sat in her room. It was eerily similar to the room she had on the Doctor's TARDIS, but with enough differences to remind her that she wasn't with the Doctor. _As if I could ever forget that. _She nearly laughed, but it died in her throat as a tear slid down her cheek.

A few hours ago she retreated down the corridor after telling the Master that she needed to rest, which she did, but, mostly, she wanted to get as far away from him as she could. _Sister. _The word flitted through the back of her mind. Faint. Nearly undetectable. It was the third time the TARDIS tried to communicate with her. Reaching out to that part of Rose that she recognized as family, but with the telepathic barrier they weren't able to fully connect.

She looked at the device on her wrist. The Master warned her that she'd be subjected to bolts of electric current running through her body if she tried to remove it. She wouldn't die though. She couldn't. Not until the Doctor's TARDIS died. Pain was a small price to pay for her freedom.

She turned her wrist over and, after steeling herself, tried to open the clasp. The white, hot pain of an electric shock raced up her arm, running through her body, making her muscles twitch. She pulled her hand away. The pain stopped.

She sat there for a moment, glaring at the device as she tried to catch her breath. The shock…she almost laughed, shock wasn't even close to what she felt…it was worse than anything she'd experienced.

_Sister. _She closed her eyes, pushing away the fear that was building inside of her. Fear that she'd be trapped with the Master forever…fear that he would make her kill the man she loved. No, she wouldn't let that happen.

If she could get the device off then she could communicate with the TARDIS and she knew her _sister _would help her. She could use her ability to subdue him and then they could leave him on some barren planet, although the heart of a volcano came to mind too. She smiled, gaining strength from the idea.

She looked at the device again. She'd have to do it. There wasn't another choice. She took a deep breath, tried to prepare herself for the pain, and then grabbed the clasp and pulled as hard as she could. As the white, hot pain shot through her body she couldn't help the scream that rose up from her throat.

* * *

Jack laid Violet down in the bassinette next to his desk, smiling at how peaceful she looked while she slept. _Rosie's daughter. _He still couldn't get over the idea. He wondered how the Doc was going to take it. Probably like he took everything, by pretending that it didn't bother him.

"Jack," Gwen said, interrupting his thoughts.

He turned around, but his smile wavered when he caught the look she was giving him from the doorway.

"What?" he asked.

"This is no place for a baby."

Was she talking about Torchwood or his messy office? Not that it mattered.

"I bought her a bassinet."

"What about that couple? You said you were going to take her over there today."

"I thought about that…"

"And?"

"And I decided to wait."

"For what?"

"I wanted to get in touch with the Doc first."

"You spent three months calling him to tell him your friend was in trouble and he didn't pick up once. What makes you think he's going to pick up now?"

Jack ran his hand through his hair. She was right. He knew she was, but he just couldn't let Rosie's daughter go. He knew the couple. Knew they would treat her good, but still, with her being what she was…it was complicated. What if something went wrong? What if they gave her something that she shouldn't have…being what she was? No, he couldn't risk that. He had to leave Rosie on that parallel world, hadn't been able to save her, he wasn't going to risk her daughter too.

"Intuition?" he tried with a smile.

"Jack," Gwen said, folding her arms.

Jack sighed. "I can't, Gwen, I just can't okay? She's Rosie's daughter. I can't just drop her off with someone and hope they take care of her."

"So, what are you going to do? Raise her yourself? And what happens if there's an emergency with Torchwood? What are you going to do then?"

"I…" he ran his hand through his hair again, glancing at Violet, "…I don't know. I just…"

"I know," Gwen said, crossing the room to stand next to Jack. "She's Rosie's daughter."

"Exactly," he said, looking into Gwen's eyes.

Now, it was Gwen's turn to sigh.

"Fine."

"Fine?" he asked, wondering what she meant.

"I'll help you."

"You will?"

He smiled.

"Oh, like you didn't know I was going to." She looked around the office. "But you're going to have to clean this place up…organize it."

"Organize?"

Jack looked around at the mess. It was organized. He knew exactly where everything was.

"And you're going to need to do some shopping."

"Already done," he said, indicating the pack of diapers, bottle, can of formula, and large bag of clothes on his desk."

"Is that it?"

"What else does she need?"

"You've got the clothes down, but she'll need a diaper bag, car seat, stroller, crib…"

"But I got a bassinet…"

"That's not going to work forever. As soon as she starts rolling over she's going to need a bigger space." Gwen paused and eyed him. "You said she's a…"

"Time Lord, like the Doc."

"Do they grow at the same rate as humans?"

Jack stared at her. He hadn't thought about that.

"I…I don't know."

"So for all you know she could start rolling over tomorrow and crawling next week."

"Crawling?"

Jack glanced around at the bits and pieces of alien tech scattered around his floor that now looked like the most dangerous things in the universe.

* * *

Standard Disclaimer.

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome. :)


	28. Coordinates and A Date

Sorry it took me so long to get another chapter out. I've been crazy busy today, but I'm putting this one up and I'll have another one up in a couple hours. :)

* * *

Rose stepped into the control room. The Master stood at the console. After removing the telepathic barrier she'd made plans with the TARDIS to take down the Master. Although she had to admit that part of her actually wanted to kill him, she couldn't let him change her like that. If she killed him then she'd be no better than him. So, the plan was for her to use her ability to knock him out then they'd leave him somewhere of the TARDIS' choosing.

_Are you ready sister? _The TARDIS asked reaching into her mind.

_Yes, _Rose answered.

The Master looked at her and a prickle of fear crept up her spine. Could he hear them? No, she pushed the fear down. He couldn't have.

"Finished resting already? Or did you miss me?" he asked, giving her a smirk.

She took a deep breath and then reached out to his mind, sending the screaming pain that would rip through it. He yelled, grabbing the sides of his head as he doubled over.

"Stop! Stop it!" he shouted.

It was working. As soon as he fell unconscious they would…Then he started laughing. She froze. How could he be laughing? She concentrated harder. Maybe she just wasn't focusing enough.

He stood up, still laughing.

"What's wrong? Isn't your telepathic ability working?" He held up his wrist showing her the device on his wrist. The one he wore after she attacked him in the medical bay back at the compound. "Did you forget about this little device?" He laughed again, taking a couple steps toward her. "Oh, dear, that's really not good is it? That must put a damper on your plans to kill me."

"I…I wasn't going to kill you."

"No? Tell me, what were your plans then?"

He closed the distance between them faster than she expected and in the next moment he grabbed her arm and examined her wrist.

"I thought I told you not to take your telepathic barrier off." He pulled her close nearly crushing her body against his. "You've been a bad girl, Ms. Tyler."

The TARDIS pitched sideways, sending them both to the floor. She was able to pull away from him as they fell.

"So, that's how it's going to be, is it?" The Master yelled, clearly talking to the TARDIS, who pitched the other way as if in answer. "You want to play games with me?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out his sonic. "I can play games too."

Rose scrambled back and then grabbed onto the railing to pull herself up. She glanced at him and noticed he was pointing the sonic at her. _What the hell is he doing? _He fired the sonic and her body exploded in pain. She cried out as every nerve ignited.

* * *

The Master smiled as she screamed. She would learn. They both would learn. It was the only way to teach them to listen. He released the button on his sonic and Rose crumbled to the ground. Dead, but he knew that wouldn't last. Somehow the Doctor's TARDIS changed her.

"How many times do I have to kill her before you'll behave?" he shouted.

The TARDIS calmed…well, calmed wasn't quite the way to put it because he could feel her seething, but she stopped pitching and that was something. Rose moaned, indicating that she'd be waking up soon. He pocketed his sonic and crossed the room to kneel down next to her.

"Hello, Rosie. Back from the dead again?"

Her eyes opened as he brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. She shoved his hand away.

"Don't touch me!"

"That's not very nice."

"You just killed me. You don't get nice," she snapped, sitting up.

"Oh, feisty!" he exclaimed, grinning at her. "Lucky for you I won't have to do it again. You see, the TARDIS and I have come to an understanding."

He stood up and offered her his hand, but when she made no move to take it he grabbed her arm and pulled her up. She still had a stubborn streak, but he'd break that soon enough.

* * *

The Doctor piloted the TARDIS, not sure where he was going. He'd been alone for a while. Clara was gone, just like the others and for the first time in a long time he felt tired. River appeared in the control room and he sighed heavily because he knew she wasn't River. Just an echo of the woman he married.

Why was she tormenting him? Even though he said goodbye to her she still haunted him. He ran a hand through his hair and pretended she wasn't there.

"Hello, sweetie," she said, sounding so much like the River he remembered. "I know you can hear me and see me so there's no point ignoring me."

He rounded on her, anger building inside of him.

"What do you want, River?"

"I don't want anything."

"Then why are you here?"

"Blame the TARIS. She's the one who brought me here."

His eyes snapped to the time rotor and then back to River.

"The TARDIS? Why would the TARDIS bring you here?"

"If I had to guess," River said, looking around the control room. "I'd say you haven't opened that envelope I gave you."

"We already said our goodbyes," he replied, turning from her to flip a lever.

"Is that what you think the envelope was for?"

He looked at her. Wasn't it? Why else would she give it to him the last day he saw her?

"Oh, you idiot man," River sighed.

He pulled the envelope out of his pocket and stared at it with apprehension. If it wasn't her final goodbye then what the hell was it?

"What's in it?"

"I told you, coordinates and a date."

"Where? When? And why's it so important?" She stared at him without answering. He narrowed his eyes. "River?"

"Spoilers," she said and then vanished.

He stared at it for another minute before tearing it open and pulling out a slip of paper. Coordinates that he immediately recognized. Torchwood. And a date. May 5th, 2009.

He hadn't seen Jack since he regenerated. Actually he hadn't seen anyone from his past since then. Did River know Jack? And if so, how? Then again, River had been all over. She was a time traveler too, but she never mentioned him. Why would seeing Jack be so important?

He entered the date and coordinates into the TARDIS. The time rotor began to move and as it did his mind turned back to past days. Days he hadn't thought of in a long time and the people he left behind. One in particular that he associated with Jack. A girl they both loved. A girl he left standing on a beach at Bad Wolf Bay. His other half.

* * *

Standard Disclaimer.

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome. :)


	29. A TARDIS at Torchwood

Another chapter as I promised. :)

* * *

Jack leaned back in his chair and sighed. Only a few days had passed since he tried to save Rosie, but it felt like an eternity. Her daughter was safe, sleeping just a few feet from his desk, but Rosie was still trapped. He didn't even know why they took her in the first place and they were doing God only knew what to her.

He hardly slept. His mind was too focused on finding a way to save her. Violet needed her mother and he needed Rosie. Needed to know she was safe. She said she'd be fine, but he knew she was lying. He had to get her back, had to help her…but he didn't know how.

He called the Doc every day, usually more than once. Why wasn't the Doc answering? Ever since Rosie made him immortal the Doc had been edgy around him, well, a bit more than that since he left Jack on that satellite when Rosie first brought back, but he thought they settled all that.

A sound reverberated through the corridors. He sat forward so fast he nearly tumbled out of the chair. He'd know that sound anywhere. He jumped to his feet and ran down the hall, rushing into the room as the TARDIS materialized. _Finally! _

The door opened and a man he didn't recognize stepped out. He looked like he was in his mid to late twenties, maybe early thirties, but that was pushing it. He had a floppy mop of dark hair that hung near one of his piercing green eyes. His clothes looked more Victorian than modern, but he was pretty damn good looking.

"Hello," Jack said, extending his hand.

He figured he'd use the time to chat up this good looking bloke before the Doc came out and interrupted them.

"Don't even start, Jack," the man said.

"I'm sorry, have we met?" Jack asked, a little put off by the man's snappish attitude.

"Oh, yes, sorry, I forgot…regenerated. I'm the Doctor," he said, straightening his bowtie.

_The Doctor? _Jack looked him up and down before giving the Time Lord a wide grin.

"Doc?"

"tor," the Doctor said.

He ignored the Doc's correction and pulled him into a hug, which the Time Lord returned. _Can't be mad at me. _If the Doc wasn't mad at him then what was going on? He stepped back and eyed the Time Lord.

"Why have you been avoiding me?"

"Avoiding you? I mean, I haven't come to see you, but I haven't been avoiding you," he said, confused.

Jack folded his arms, not entirely sure he believed the Doc.

"Then why didn't you answer?"

The Time Lord looked genuinely baffled.

"What are you talking about, Jack?"

So, he really didn't know what was going on. Had he taken a vacation from his TARDIS for the past few months?

"I've been trying to get hold of you for months. Where have you been?"

"Months? That's impossible. I would've known."

"I called you nearly every day."

"Every day? Why? What happened?" he asked in a worried voice.

He really didn't know. Jack sighed. He wasn't sure how the Doc was going to take it, but Jack had to tell him. If they were going to save Rosie they needed his help.

"It's Rosie…Doc, she…she's in trouble."

* * *

The Doctor froze. _She…what? How was that…? How did Jack even know? _Rose was safe. She was supposed to be safe in that parallel universe. Jack knew he dropped her off. Or, as Jack put it, left her behind.

"Jack…wait, that doesn't make any sense. You know I left her in that parallel universe."

"I know, but something happened there-"

"How would you even know that?"

Jack was losing it. Had to be. There was no way he could know if something happened to her…and nothing had happened to her. She was fine. Safe. Living a life with the Meta-Crisis.

"Her dad called me."

"Sorry, what?" the Doctor asked in complete shock.

Jack smiled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I know it sounds crazy. When my phone rang and I saw who was calling I thought I might be losing my mind, but I answered because, well, just in case. I mean, it was Rosie, but it wasn't her on the phone it was some guy named Pete. Then I remembered that she said that was her dad's name and she found him when you guys accidentally wound up in that parallel universe."

The Doctor visibly swayed. Jack hadn't lost his mind. Somehow Pete called him, but how? That shouldn't be possible.

"What did he say?"

"I…um…maybe you should sit down, Doc."

"Just tell me," the Doctor growled, completely losing his patience with Jack.

"Whoa…okay, Doc," Jack said, taking a step back. "He told me that she'd been taken by some people from the government. They were holding her somewhere and he couldn't get to her."

"The government? Why would they take her?"

His mind tried to work out any possible reason why that would happen, but beyond aliens taking over, which still didn't make any sense because those things happened because of him and he wasn't there. He was here, but then he remembered that he was there. Not him, but the Meta-Crisis. Could he have caused that?

"I don't know. Never got that far. He gave me the coordinated of where she was being held and then the line went dead."

The line went dead? Had something happened to Pete too? And Jackie and Tony…where were they?

"What? Why?"

"He was only able to call because of this crack and the crack sealed so we were cut off."

The cracks. Of course. There must have been a crack between universes and since Pete worked at Torchwood he'd know about it. So, Rose was being held by their government and being subjected to…he didn't even want to think about it. His eyes locked on Jack's.

"Why the hell didn't you call me?" the Doctor growled.

"I…I did. I told you I called you almost every day, but you didn't answer."

Yes, that's right. He did say that. The Doctor began pacing. He had to help her, but how could he? The only way to get through was to tear a hole in the universe, but there had to be a way. There had to be.

"How long?" he asked, barely able to hold back the anger he felt.

He wasn't angry at Jack, but when he found a way to get to her, and he would find a way, he would get her back and he wouldn't let anyone stand in his way.

"I…um…I'm not sure."

"What are they doing to her? If they…" his voice broke as he thought about all the horrible things that could be happening to her.

* * *

Jack could see how worried he was. This new Doc was a lot different from the one he remembered. He was angrier, like the first one he'd met, but his emotions ran from hot to cold with a couple words. One minute he was worried and the next… Jack wondered what happened to him since they last saw each other. He'd obviously been through a lot.

"She looked okay when I saw her. It was only a couple days ago, but I'm sure she's fine. She said-"

In the next moment the Doctor closed the distance between them, surprising Jack. The Time Lord glared into his eyes, but he held his ground.

"What do you mean when you saw her?" he asked in a dangerous whisper.

"When I couldn't get in touch with you I took matters into my own hands. I mean, I couldn't wait around for you, not when she was in trouble. My team and I worked out a way to get to her."

"But you couldn't have gotten to her. Not across the Void. That's impossible."

"Nearly impossible."

The Doc stepped back, no longer focusing his anger on Jack, but looking at him as if he wasn't sure he believed him.

"How did you manage it?"

"We found a crack, a bigger one, and I used my Vortex Manipulator."

"Vortex Manipulators can't jump across parallel universes."

"I had a little help rewiring it."

"Help from who?"

"I don't know. She didn't give me her name."

"What'd she look like?"

"Curly hair, pretty good looking actually."

* * *

_River. _Did she know? Had she known all this time? He was torn. She'd helped Jack to get to Rose, but she hadn't said anything to him. Then again she didn't know about Rose or at least about how he felt about her. He hadn't told anyone. Not since he regenerated, but River must have known something otherwise why would she send him there?

"So, if you managed to get to Rose then where is she?" he asked, looking around, half expecting her to come running into the room with that cheeky grin of hers.

"I…I couldn't bring her."

_Wait. What? _He made it to her, but he didn't bring her back?

"What?" the Doctor growled. "You managed to cross the Void and you just left her there?"

His hands balled into fists. He had to use every bit of willpower he had not to break Jack's nose, which he really wanted to do.

"I tried, but she wouldn't let me. I could only take one person."

"You left Rose there and brought someone else back?"

His restraint was starting to slip. Jack backed up a couple steps as if he could sense what the Doctor was thinking.

"I brought her daughter back. Rose wouldn't leave because she wanted me to make sure her daughter was safe."

"Her…" All of the Doctor's anger seeped out of him along with most of his strength. "…daughter?"

"Doc, you really need to sit down."

Rose had a daughter. Why was that so hard for him to believe? Of course she had a daughter. He left her with the Meta-Crisis so she could have everything he couldn't give her. She could have a family. They probably got married, which is what he wanted…wasn't it?

"She's…she's safe?" the Doctor finally asked.

"Who?" Jack inquired.

"Rose's…Rose's daughter. Is she safe?"

"Yes, she's safe. She's here if you want to see her."

"She's here?"

"She's sleeping in my office right now."

Jack still had Rose's daughter? Didn't Rose have any relatives? There was Jackie, but she was in the parallel universe. Now that he thought about it he couldn't remember Rose mentioning other relatives, but there must have been…

"Jack, you realize this is no place to keep a baby."

"I couldn't very well take her anywhere else."

"But Rose must have other relatives."

"Probably, but what would I tell them?"

Something told the Doctor he wasn't talking about the child being Rose's. There was something else going on.

"What do you mean?"

"That was another reason I was trying to get in touch with you. I don't know a lot about that kind of thing and you, being the expert, but really I wasn't sure-"

"Jack," the Doctor said as calmly as he could, even though he felt anything, but calm. "What are you talking about?"

"Rose said some things when she handed her daughter to me, which made me wonder and of course I had to know in case something happened, but I'm sure you know better than I do how dangerous it could be if she got sick and I gave her something she shouldn't have, not that I'd give her aspirin, but…"

"Jack!" He didn't mean to snap, but Jack was rambling and he wanted to know exactly what was going on. He was worried about Rose and now Jack seemed to be indicating that there was something wrong with her daughter. "What are you trying to say?"

"I think it'd be better if I showed you."

Jack turned and walked out the door and down the hall. The Doctor followed him. Why couldn't Jack just tell him? It wasn't that he didn't want to see Rose's daughter, but he knew it would be painful. Something else he would never have with the woman he loved.

* * *

Standard Disclaimer.

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome. :)


	30. She's Your Daughter, Doc

Hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

Lots of Jack, Doctor, Violet.

* * *

Instead of showing him Rose's daughter, like the Doctor expected, Jack led him into a large room and then walked over to a computer and typed in a few keys. A moment later something he didn't expect appeared on the screen. He knew what he was looking at, but he wasn't sure how Jack managed to get it or why he was showing it to the Doctor.

"What are you showing me?"

"That's her DNA."

_Her? Her who? _He had a feeling he knew, but he couldn't believe it.

"Violet, Rosie's daughter. That's her DNA."

For a moment he couldn't breathe. It was as if all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. _It…it can't be. _

"Jack…this just isn't possible," the Doctor said, barely above a whisper.

"It must be because there it is," Jack replied.

He looked at the man, half expecting him to grin and laugh, but Jack wasn't the sort to make jokes about a thing like that. Still, he couldn't believe it.

"It has to be wrong."

"It's not Doc. I ran the tests twice, but I knew even before that."

"What do you mean? How could you know?"

"The first thing I did when I got her back here was listen to her heart. She doesn't have one heart. She has two."

"No…but…it…I mean."

The Doctor realized his hands were shaking. He stared at them a moment without seeing them as he tried to calm his hearts that both started beating rapidly. Rose's daughter was…well, would be a Time Lady. How could that even happen?

Jack was still talking, but he wasn't paying attention. His mind was too busy trying to work out what should be impossible. Rose was human. The meta-crisis had some Time Lord DNA, but he was physically human. There was no possible way they could have a full Time Lord daughter, well, Time Lady, but still.

No, he needed to find out for himself. Run some tests with the TARDIS. She was far more reliable than some Torchwood tests.

"…and that's when I ran her DNA against yours-" Jack said, snapping the Doctor's attention back to the impossible man.

"What? My DNA? Where the hell did you get my DNA?"

"Remember your hand?"

"You don't have my hand."

His hand was now living in the parallel world with Rose.

"No, but I used it to track you down before and I still had the pattern programmed into my Vortex Manipulator. Not that it's there anymore, had to make some adjustments before I jumped through the Void, but I downloaded it to our database-"

"Jack!" the Doctor snapped, trying to get the man's attention. He was rambling again. _If I ramble half as much as he does no wonder Amy got so frustrated with me. _

"Right…Anyway, I wanted to run a…well, a paternity test…just, you know to…well, to check. I probably wouldn't have thought of it myself, but well, Tosh pointed out how impossible it would be for the meta-crisis to be Violet's father seeing as he's only part Time Lord and with Rose being human-"

"Jack…would you just get to the point," the Doctor said, as calmly as he could, which wasn't actually very calm at all.

"Yes, sorry. Anyway I didn't have Rosie's DNA on file. So, I went back to the day after the Canary Wharf incident so I could find something at her flat…a hairbrush or a toothbrush or something," Jack glanced at the Doctor who was having a hard time figuring out what the man was getting at. So, he'd gone back and collected a DNA sample, what was so important about that? Obviously he needed it to run the test, but why was he explaining all that to the Doctor? "I ran it and, well…maybe it's just best if I show you."

Jack punched some keys and a strand of DNA appeared. The Doctor's DNA. He recognized it immediately.

"That's your DNA," Jack continued. "And this," he punched a couple more keys and another strand appeared next to it. "is Violet's DNA." Yes, the Doctor recognized that one too. It's the one that had been on the screen a few minutes ago. "And this…" he punched keys again, "…is Rosie's DNA."

The Doctor was pretty sure at least one of his hearts stopped. He pulled his glasses out, the round ones that used to belong to Amy, and put them on. Then he stepped closer to the monitor and examined Rose's DNA. _Impossible! It…that…that can't be her DNA. _

"Jack…that…that's just not possible," he whispered, staring at the golden string that wrapped around the human part of Rose's DNA.

"Do you know what it is? None of us have been able to identify it."

"It's…time energy."

"Time energy?"

"It's what's inside the Time Vortex."

"How is it attached to her DNA…is it…I mean, is that bad?"

"I…" the Doctor tried to work out how it could possibly be there…part of Rose's DNA. "The only sentient being that could possibly have time energy part of their DNA is…" he trailed off not even sure he wanted to voice the answer.

"Is what?" Jack asked in a worried voice. When the Doctor didn't answer he persisted, "What Doc? Tell me!"

"Is a TARDIS."

"WHAT?"

"She's not a TARDIS, Jack," the Doctor said, taking off his glasses. "Obviously. I mean that would be…"

"As impossible as Rosie having a Time Lord daughter?" Jack replied.

"Well, yes, but I mean…no…more impossible."

"So, that extra bit of DNA has to do with the Time Vortex?"

"I suppose you could put it that way."

"But what are those extra strands on yours?"

"That's from years of exposure to the Untempered Schism. It's what makes me a Time Lord."

"The Untempered Schism?"

"It's an opening in the Time Vortex. A gap in the fabric of reality."

"So, is that time energy too?"

"Well…yes…in a way, I mean, I suppose you could put it that way, but it's not the same, not really."

* * *

Jack eyed the Time Lord. What? Were there different kinds of time energy? He'd mentioned the Time Vortex again. There had to be something to that.

"So, let me get this straight. Rosie has time energy attached to her DNA, right?"

"More like interwoven with her DNA, but, yes, attached will work."

"And you have time energy _interwoven _with your DNA."

"Yes, but mine's different as I pointed out-"

He moved to point out the differences, but Jack stopped him with a wave of his hand that indicated it wasn't important.

"And that time energy has something to do with exposure to the Time Vortex?"

"Yes, but as I said, mine's from years and years of exposure to the very heart of the Time Vortex. Rose traveled with me for a couple years, but she was protected inside the TARDIS. I mean, there was the whole thing with River, but that was an entirely different set of circumstances-"

"River?" Jack interrupted.

* * *

"She's…" The Doctor looked at Jack and decided not to get into the whole story about how and why he got married. He knew how Jack felt about Rose and he didn't feel like getting into a fight. There were other things to worry about. "She was the daughter of some friends of mine. They traveled with me and they were with me on their wedding night." Jack raised his eyebrows. "Suffice it to say we were in the Time Vortex when they…did that thing that goes on behind closed doors."

"So their baby was born with time energy?"

"Part Time Lord actually, well Time Lady, but there were other matters to take into account," he said, thinking about everything Madam Kovarian had done to Amy while she was pregnant and then to River after she was born.

"So it is possible for the Time Vortex to change someone?"

"Well, yes, I suppose, under certain circumstances, but not like this. The time energy in Rose…it's…well, as I said it looks more like something I'd expect to see in TARDIS DNA, if that were possible."

"So, how much exposure are we talking about? For something like this to happen?"

"I…I'm not sure. I mean-"

"As much exposure as Rosie got when she had the Time Vortex running through her head?"

"What?"

"She wasn't just standing next to the Time Vortex. She had it inside of her. You said she turned all those Dalek's to dust and brought me back, made me immortal, with nothing more than a thought. Could having that inside of her have changed her? Could it have done that?" Jack indicated Rose's DNA.

"No…I mean…no, it…it couldn't…" He froze. Could it? Could it have changed her? He'd taken it out of her, but Jack was right. It was running through her, ever since she looked into the heart of the TARDIS.

"You had it inside of you for how long after you took it out of her?"

"I don't know, a couple seconds."

"And it killed you. Made you regenerate. She had it in her for a lot longer. Enough time for her to come back to you and destroy all the Daleks and bring me back to life and she survived. Don't you find that strange?"

"Well…I…" Actually, he really hadn't thought about it. He'd been too busy regenerating after he saved her, but now that he thought back it did seem strange. No, not strange, impossible. She shouldn't have survived, but she had because… He slapped his forehead, causing Jack to jump.

"I'm so slow! The TARDIS must have protected her. Rose wanted to save me and the only way to do that was for the TARDIS to give her that power, but Rose would've burned up as a human so the TARDIS must have made her stronger to enable her to have the Time Vortex running through her." But…he examined her DNA again. _No! _But there it was. He could see it now. He laughed as he realized what that meant. "Oh, you beauty."

"What? What is it?"

"Don't you see, Jack? Don't you understand what she did?" Jack stared at him with a confused look on his face. "Rose is part TARDIS. She's human and a TARDIS." He laughed again.

"What the hell do you mean _she's human and a TARDIS?_"

"She's connected to my TARDIS. She'll…" Then he realized how very bad that was. Not bad that Rose would now live as long as the TARDIS, which meant they could be together because it didn't matter how jeopardy friendly she was since she was pretty much indestructible, well, as long as the TARDIS was alive, but how very bad it was for Rose being held by that government. Why they would even want her and what she might be being subjected to. "We have to save her, Jack."

"That's what I said…"

But the Doctor wasn't listening. He turned around and began walking toward the hall.

"Doc!" Jack called. "Wait!"

The Doctor turned around impatiently. He didn't have time for this. He needed to go, needed to find Rose.

"Jack, I have to go! Whatever you have to tell me can wait."

"No, Doc, it can't," he typed a few keys. "This really can't wait."

The Doctor folded his arms, impatiently and stepped back toward the monitor. As he watched his DNA and Rose's DNA merged onto Violet's DNA and he froze. _What? No! What? _

"This is what I was trying to tell you," Jack said, smiling at the stunned look on the Doctor's face. "Violet isn't just Rosie's daughter. She's your daughter too."

He reached out and touched the monitor. Violet was…his eyes misted over…his daughter. But that…that just wasn't…

"How?" he asked in a thick whisper.

* * *

"I thought after nine hundred years you'd know the answer to that question," Jack teased.

The Doc eyed him.

"I know how it happens, Jack, and it's more like twelve hundred now, give or take a hundred years. I mean how could she be mine?"

"Twelve hundred-"

"It's just not possible," the Doc said, interrupting him, making Jack decide to put the question off until later.

"You can't deny the evidence, Doc. I'm still not sure how you managed it what with the Crucible, Davros, and the reality bomb, but I must say I'm impressed. You obviously work well under pressure."

The Doc jumped as if Jack slapped him.

"What? What is it?" Jack asked.

Jack could tell he was hiding something. He had a far off look in his eyes. One that seemed to hurt, as if the memory was painful.

"I…just…it's… It's nothing."

"What are you not telling me?"

"It's…" he sighed. "I ran into her when she was trying to find me."

"What?"

"Remember how Rose used the Dimension Cannon to cross the Void?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it took her more than one jump to get in the right place. I ran into her three times before she found me."

_What? _That statement didn't even make any sense. If he ran into her then why would she leave and…three times? What the hell was he talking about?

"Sorry…what? If you ran into her then why'd you act like you hadn't seen her?"

"Because I hadn't. Or, I should say, my tenth regeneration hadn't. _I_ ran into her…me…how I am now."

_Oh! _He was saying he ran into her later. Not in his tenth form, but in this one.

"You ran into her after you regenerated?"

"Yes."

"And you…what? Thought you'd get a little…" Jack raised his eyebrows and smiled.

* * *

"Shut up Jack! No of course I didn't…well, we did, but not like that. The first time I saw her was a few hours after I regenerated, then the second time was still the same day, technically the same day, but the third time was much later. I thought I was going to my death," Jack's smile slipped, all joking gone. "That's when…well…when it could've happened. Only…I still don't understand how our…" he swallowed as the realization that he had a daughter hit him again, "…our daughter is a full Time Lord."

"Were you going through the Time Vortex when it happened?"

"No, Jack, we were _not_ going through the Time Vortex when it happened."

"Are you sure? One of you could've hit a lever and then-"

"First of all, Jack, we weren't anywhere near the console and second…I am NOT having this conversation with you."

* * *

"There has to be an explanation." Jack said, trying to stave off the Doc's glare. "If there's only two ways this could happen, which would be two Time Lords having some…" He raised his eyebrows. "…_fun_ or two humans having _fun_ while traveling through the Time Vortex then how is this possible." He indicated the test results.

"I don't know," the Doc said as he started pacing. Then he stopped and slapped his forehead again, making Jack jump a second time. "Oh, I'm so thick! The time energy that's why Violet is a full Time Lord."

"What?"

"Don't you see?"

"No, not really-"

A piercing cry brought them both out of their conversation. Jack had forgotten about her while he talked to the Doc. He checked his watch. No, she shouldn't be getting up yet. He ran for his office worried that something might've happened. He heard the Doc following.

* * *

Jack ran into the room and up to her crib. She appeared to be fine, but she was crying. He picked her up.

"It's alright," he cooed, trying to sooth her by gently rocking her.

He heard the Doc enter the room and a moment later the Time Lord was standing next to him.

"It's going to be alright, Violet. I'm going to bring her here," the Doc said.

Jack gave him a quizzical look. Violet calmed down and instead of crying started making little grunting noises that babies often make.

"She's worried about Rose. Had a bad dream," the Doc said, after noticing Jack's look.

_Had a bad dream? _How does he even know that? He must be guessing, he couldn't actually know.

The Doc brushed his finger under his chin.

"No, that's my chin. Is there something wrong with my chin?" Jack realized the last question was directed at him, but he was too busy trying to figure out if the Doc had lost his mind.

"What are you doing?"

"Talking to my daughter, Jack." The Time Lord looked at Violet then straightened his bowtie. "It's a bowtie. Bowties are cool…are so…your mum said so."

"You can't really understand her, can you?"

"Of course I can. I speak baby."

Jack laughed, thinking the Doc had to be joking.

"You're kidding, right? No one speaks baby."

"I do. I speak everything. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to hold my daughter."

Jack handed Violet over, still wondering if the Doc had finally lost his mind.

* * *

The Doctor held Violet carefully. The tears that he'd held back stung his eyes. _My daughter. _He never thought it was possible. Not only for there to be another Time Lord, but for that Time Lord, or Time Lady, he amended, to be his child.

She was still just a baby, but he could feel her, at the back of his mind, not as strong as she would be later, but even that little bit of her took away the silence that had filled him for years after the war and then again after the Master stepped into the time lock.

"Doc?" Jack asked. "Are you okay?"

He knew there were tears, but for once they weren't the tears of loss. They were happy tears. _Crying because you're happy. How human. _He laughed.

"Yes, Jack, for once I really am." Violet was wondering who he was. He knew she could sense their connection though she was too young to understand it. "I'm your dad and you're my daughter." Another tear and now she was worried because he was crying. "No, luv, I'm not sad. I'm happy. Yes, people cry when they're happy." Now she wanted to know where her mum was and when he was going to bring her back. "I'm going to get her soon. She'll be back before you know it."

"I'm coming with you," Jack said, bringing the Doctor out of his conversation with his daughter.

"I can do it myself, Jack, besides someone is going to have to look after Violet."

He didn't want to leave her, especially now. She was so young and anything could happen, but he had to save Rose and since he wasn't really sure what he'd be walking into it would be far too dangerous to bring Violet with him. He wouldn't chance anything happening to her. He knew Jack would keep her safe.

"I'll ring Gwen. I'm sure she'll keep an eye on Rosie's…your daughter and I trust her."

"Jack," the Doctor began.

"Stop right there, Doc. I had to leave her there. Do you even understand how hard that was? I couldn't help her and I'll be damned if I'm going to stay here and babysit while you go after her alone!"

He eyed the impossible man who was just as stubborn and Rose. Once Jack made up his mind the Doctor knew there was no changing it. He also knew he could use the help, but he still wasn't sure.

Violet cried, upset because her dad made her bigger milk thing yell.

"His name's Jack, luv, not bigger milk thing."

"What?" Jack asked, confused.

"Fine. You can come, but only if Gwen agrees to watch her."

Jack gave him a sideways glance, but then seemed to decide not to question him and crossed to his desk to call Gwen.

* * *

Standard Disclaimer.

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome. :)


	31. Crashing On Pete's World

Gwen arrived a half hour later and after Jack explained the situation to her she agreed to watch Violet for them. The Doc disappeared into the TARDIS before Gwen got there so after pocketing a few side arms that he thought might come in handy Jack made his way to the TARDIS and stepped inside.

He marveled at the changes. The coral was gone, replaced by shiny metal. The console looked more organized and there were control panels along the rail. As he looked around he realized the Doc was nowhere to be found.

"Doc?" he called.

"Down here, Jack," the Doc replied from under the floor.

Jack made his way across the control room and down the stairs.

"I'm ready to go whenever you are."

"Just, tightening this up," he said as he tightened some screws on what looked to Jack a bit like a generator.

"What is that?"

"I suppose the best word for it is converter."

"A converter for what?"

"The TARDIS runs off the energy in the universe. This universe. The energy in any other universe is, well, like diesel in a petrol engine. The first time I wound up on Pete's world the TARDIS was pretty much dead in the water."

"And that's going to convert the energy in the parallel universe into something the TARDIS can run off of?"

"Exactly. It won't be perfect and she'll probably be a bit jittery at first, but at least we'll be able to travel." Jack watched him tighten the last screw.

"So, have you worked out how we're going to get there?"

"Yep."

The Doc gave the converter a final check without explaining.

"And…are you going to clue me in?"

The Doc set his tools down and then crossed over to the stairs. Jack followed.

"Going to tear a hole in the universe, that's how."

Jack started laughing and then realized the Doc wasn't joining in.

"You're not serious are you?"

The Doc walked up to the console.

"It's the only way."

He was going to tear a whole in the universe? Jack remembered the Doc explaining, back in his tenth regeneration, why he couldn't see Rose again when she was trapped in that parallel universe after Canary Wharf. Had he forgotten or completely lost his mind?

"But…but that'll collapse both universes."

The Doc gave him a sideways glance and Jack noticed that his mouth was set in the grim line of a man who was about to do something he knew he shouldn't, but didn't feel like he had a choice.

"Possibly, well, probably, but there's always a possibility that it won't."

The Doc grabbed a lever, but Jack grabbed his hand before he could pull it.

"You can't do that!"

He had to make the Doc see reason. He wanted to rescue Rosie just as much as the Time Lord, but there had to be another way. One that didn't have the possibility of killing everyone.

"There isn't another option."

"What about those cracks? I got through one and I'm sure with the TARDIS you could find another one."

"The cracks are gone Jack. I sealed them up, years ago, but I suppose to you it hasn't been that long. They're gone. They aren't an option."

He noticed that the crack in Leadworth that Tosh found last week had sealed and there weren't any new ones, but he hadn't thought that they were all gone.

"There has to be another way, Doc. If the universes collapse then she dies and what about Violet? She'll die too."

"Don't you think I know that, Jack! But there-"

The time rotor began to move and a moment later the TARDIS launched into the Time Vortex throwing both of them to the floor. _Did the Doc pull the lever? _He thought he was still restraining the Doc's hand, but maybe he slipped, maybe he let go and didn't realize it.

"What did you do?" Jack shouted.

* * *

_No! No, no, no, no, no! _The Doctor crawled to the console and pulled himself up. The TARDIS had launched herself into the Time Vortex. She probably knew what he was going to do and decided to stop him.

"What are you doing?" he shouted at her.

Didn't she realize how much trouble Rose was in? It was the only reason he'd even consider punching a whole in the universe. She was being held by the government, which could only mean that they were either experimenting on her or trying to figure out how to use her as a weapon.

He started filling levers and pushing buttons, but nothing worked. The TARDIS wasn't letting him pilot her. He slammed his fist into the console, which only managed to get him a nasty shock.

"Stop this! Stop this right now!" he yelled, but it was useless. She wasn't listening.

"What's going on?" Jack asked, pulling himself up next to the Doctor.

"She doesn't want me to punch a hole in the universe, so she's decided to take matters into her own hands."

"What does that mean?"

"That means she's locked me out of the controls."

"Where's she taking us?"

"I don't know, probably…" He checked the monitor. "Wait! What's that?" There was something in the Time Vortex and it was giving off a strange reading. It was… "Oh, you beauty!"

"What? What is it?"

"It's a-"

* * *

Before the Doc could tell Jack what it was they were thrown violently to the floor again as the TARDIS pitched, shuddered, and then fell. The lights began to flicker. He thought he knew what was going on, but he hoped he was wrong.

"What's happening?" Jack yelled over the sound of an alarm.

"We're crashing," the Doc said and then laughed.

That's what he thought, but he couldn't understand why the Doc was laughing. Maybe he had lost his mind.

"Crashing where?"

"Pete's world!"

* * *

Rose sat in the jump seat glaring at the Master's back. She decided if she ever got out of this she'd drop him straight into a volcano, a planet sized one.

"So, how long do you plan on keeping me handcuffed to the railing?" she snapped, shaking her hand to rattle the cuff for emphasis.

"Until I decide you've learned your lesson," he said without looking at her.

"I thought that's why you killed me."

"I killed you to teach the TARDIS a lesson. You, my dear, have a nasty stubborn streak, but don't worry. I'll soon break you of that."

If he thought a little time handcuffed to the railing was going to make her want to listen to him he'd better think again. It would take a lot more than that to make her do anything he said.

"Good luck that," she scoffed.

"I won't need luck. I'll just need time and we have plenty of that what with the time machine and all."

He continued to type keys, glancing at the monitor every few minutes. She decided to find out what was so important.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Me? Oh, I'm just trying to find someone."

_Find someone? _The last thing she wanted was to meet anyone he might consider a friend. She doubted he actually had any.

"Who?"

"No one in particular. Just someone we can use."

That didn't sit well with her.

"For what?"

"For your first lesson. You have to learn to use your abilities."

Great, he was back to the torture. Well, she wasn't going to do it.

"I'm not going to torture anyone."

"I wasn't going to ask you to torture anyone."

_Wait. What? _Now, he didn't want her to torture people? He said he wanted her to use her ability to kill the Doctor. Had he changed his mind?

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

"You're going to kill them."

_What? _That was definitely not going to happen.

"I am not going to kill anyone."

He turned around and eyed her.

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not. I don't care how many times you kill me, you won't make me hurt anyone."

He crossed the room, making her shrink back, not because she was afraid of him, but because she didn't want him to touch her. Unfortunately, being handcuffed to the rail kept her from getting away. He knelt down in front of her, but when he tried to touch her cheek she slapped his hand away, making him grab her wrist tightly.

"I'm not going to kill you. You're much too precious to me."

"I'm sure."

"But you will do as I say because for every person you don't kill I'll destroy one city." Her eyes widened and he smiled. He gripped her wrist tighter, making her gasp. "You did this to yourself, Rosie. I was more than willing to let them live, but you had to go and defy me by taking the telepathic barrier off and trying to turn my TARDIS against me." He reached out toward her cheek, but when she moved to slap him, she cried out as the pain in her wrist magnified. She wouldn't have been surprised if one of her bones snapped. He ignored her cries and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. She felt her skin crawl where his fingers brushed against it. He smiled. "There's a good girl."

Her eyes narrowed after he released her wrist and stood up, but she bit back the list of profanities that filled her mind. One chance, that's all she needed, just one and she'd send him straight into the Void.

* * *

Standard Disclaimer.

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome. :)


	32. The TARDIS at the Compound

Jack followed the Doc out of the smoke filled TARDIS, coughing violently. Once outside…well, more like inside some kind of parking garage, he leaned his hands on his knees and waited for his lungs to clear. He heard the Doc cough. He glanced over at the Time Lord.

"Nice landing, Doc. I see some things haven't changed," he joked.

"I could've landed her perfectly if we weren't crashing, Jack," the Doc snapped.

"Sure you could've."

He stood up and looked around. Yep, parking garage. He glanced at the TARDIS and noticed all the debris. The TARDIS crashed through the roof…he stepped over and looked at the hole…no, ground. They were in an underground parking garage.

"So, how much trouble are we going to get in for that?" Jack asked, looking from the hole the TARDIS made to the Doc.

"For what?" the Time Lord asked, glancing at him and then noticed the hole. "Ah, that's really not good, but I'm sure she'll be fine."

"I wasn't talking about your TARDIS Doc. I'm sure someone heard or saw that."

"Maybe we'll get lucky."

Jack laughed.

"The one thing I've noticed is that I'm never lucky when I'm around you."

"What're you talking about? I'm Mr. Lucky…" Jack eyed him. "Okay, that's a rubbish title, but my point is I always make it out of whatever scrape I'm in."

"The first time I met you I wound up in a ship with an exploding bomb."

"That was your own fault, releasing those nanogenes, and I saved you, if I remember correctly, which I do, photographic memory," the Doc said, tapping the side of his head.

"Then there was the time I almost died because that Slitheen survived and you didn't realize she intended to use the TARDIS to blow up Cardiff until it was too late."

"Almost too late and we survived, I might add."

"Only because the TARDIS saved us. And what about the time I did die and Rosie brought me back only she accidentally made me immortal. And the time you took me to the end of the universe and-"

The Doc held up his hand.

"Alright, Jack, I get it, but no one has come yet and I'm sure if-"

The Doc was cut off by the sound of not one, but multiple guns cocking at the same time. Jack couldn't help rolling his eyes before turning around to find a dozen soldiers standing behind them with guns drawn. _How did I know this was going to happen? _

* * *

The Doctor slowly turned around. _Soldiers? Really? Why was there always an army? _He gave Jack a sideways glance. He could almost hear the _I told you so _running through the man's mind. A man in a dress uniform stepped in front of the soldiers.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?"

The man glanced from the TARDIS, debris, large gaping hole, and then to Jack and the Doctor. The Time Lord pulled a look of happy sincerity over his face and extended his hand.

"Hello, I'm the Doctor and this is Jack," he said, taking a step forward at which point all the guns trained on him, making him stop.

"The Doctor?" The man asked and then seemed to muse for a moment. "Did she send you?"

_She? She who? _He wasn't sure who the bloke was talking about, but it was a way in and he wasn't about to overlook it.

"Yes, as a matter of fact she did. Sent me and Jack to make sure everything was running along smoothly."

"She doesn't know then? I was afraid of that when I couldn't get in touch with her. I can't believe she sent another Doctor, where does she get you guys anyway?"

_Another Doctor? _He knew the bloke had to be an actual doctor, but still it intrigued him. He needed to get out of there and find Rose, but with the TARDIS repairing he was stuck for the time being.

"Would you mind asking them to stand down? I really don't like guns being pointed at me and I'm sure Jack doesn't either."

"Oh, right. Sorry. Stand down."

The soldiers lowered their weapons and the Doctor breathed a sigh of relief, not that either one of them would've actually died, but he didn't feel like regenerating right then.

"Thank you…" the Doctor said, closing the distance between them.

"Captain Grant," the man introduced.

"Captain Grant, yes," the Doctor said, as if he knew the name. Had to keep the facade up. "Now, about this other doctor."

"Come on and I'll fill you in." The Doctor followed him to the lift with Jack trailing. Once the man pushed the button he turned to them. "I want you to be clear that I tried to get hold of her as soon as I found out it happened. It was that doctor she sent. She put him in charge so she can't blame me for any of this."

He was rambling nervously.

"Of course you're right. She can't very well hold you responsible for something your superior did." The Doctor gave Grant a reassuring smile. "What exactly did he do?"

"The plan was to keep the girl until she had her baby. That's what Drexler told me in the beginning, but after she put that doctor in charge everything changed."

The Doctor froze. The moment Grant mentioned _she had her baby _his mind snapped to Rose. _Of course! _He had to stop himself from slapping his forehead because he just realized where they must have ended up. As they were flying into the crack he'd entered the coordinates Jack gave him for the place Rose was being held. The TARDIS must have crashed there. That meant…oh, that meant they found her. In just a few minutes he'd be reunited with her. He had to keep Grant talking so he could assess the situation in the compound and work out a plan to get her out of there.

"What changed?" he asked, trying to keep Grant from figuring out what he was going to do.

"He brought in a woman. I don't think Drexler even knew about her. She pretty much took over things while the doctor spent most of his time with the girl."

The Doctor's eyes narrowed. He was sure when Grant talked about the girl he meant Rose and he didn't like the idea of her spending time with this doctor, whoever the hell he was, but he decided to focus on answers.

"What woman?"

The doors to the lift slid open and Grant stepped inside followed by the Doctor and Jack. He waited while Grant pressed a button then he finally got his answer as the doors slid shut.

"Kovarian, she called herself. Madam Kovarian."

The Doctor froze. _Kovarian? No! It couldn't be the same woman who'd taken River from Amy when she was a baby and turned her into a weapon to kill him. It just couldn't be. _He swallowed and Jack seemed to notice his discomfort.

"Doc?" Jack asked, but he shook his head to keep the man from questioning him further. He needed to keep up the ruse that they belonged there.

"Kovarian," the Doctor cleared his throat when he realized his voice was quieter than he intended. "Kovarian was working with this doctor?"

"Yes, he's the one who brought her in."

"What…what did she look like?"

"Dark, curly hair, middle-aged, she was wearing a strange looking eye patch…"

The Doctor stopped listening after the eye patch, which was actually an Eye Drive, but Grant didn't know that. So, she'd been here and not only her the Silence must have been there as well otherwise she wouldn't have been wearing the Eye Drive. Was she from here? Or did she come to this universe by some other means? How did she even get from one universe to the other? He had too many questions, none of which Grant could answer. The doctor. He needed to find out more about this doctor.

He opened his mouth to ask the doctor's name and then realized he couldn't do that. Grant thought he was working for the same woman that doctor worked for. Asking for a name would give him away.

The lift doors slid open and he followed Grant down a long hallway with Jack walking beside him. As he made his way down the hall he tried to come up with a way to find out more about that doctor without giving himself away.

Grant opened a door on the left and they all stepped into…a security room. Definitely not what the Doctor expected. He thought Grant would take him to Rose's room, but instead he stood in a room filled with security monitors, computers, and desks. A young man of about twenty sat at one of the desks typing on a keyboard. He stood up, abruptly, and saluted the moment they walked in the door. Grant returned his salute and then motioned for him to continue working. The young man sat down.

"I thought you were going to take us to see the girl," the Doctor said. "I was sent here to make sure everything was in order."

He hoped Grant wouldn't see through his lie or notice the worry in his eyes that he was trying to hide.

"Can't very well do that," Grant said.

"Can't or won't?" the Doctor asked, feeling anger building inside of him.

"She isn't here."

"Isn't here? Where the hell is she?"

"Doc," Jack warned and he felt the man grip his shoulder.

Right. The facade. _Damn it!_ He pulled the mask back over is emotions.

"The doctor took her," Grant said.

_Took her? _Took her where? How the hell was he supposed to find her? He had to find out who this doctor was. He needed a name.

"What was his name again?" Jack asked, as if he could hear the Doctor's thoughts. Grant eyed him, but Jack gave him a teasing smile. "Sorry, I was out late last night. Met a girl in a bar if you know what I mean." He gave Grant a wink. "I was just pulled in this morning and briefed before I was sent out with this bloke."

Grant gave him a disproving, anyone-can-work-for-the-government-these-days, look. Then shook his head.

"Doctor John Chambers."

The Doctor was pretty sure his eyes widened and he hoped Grant didn't notice. _Chambers. _It was the same name on a document he'd been forced to sign. The name the Valeyard was going by when he was trying to kill the Doctor so he could get the Time Lord's remaining regenerations. It couldn't be him, could it? If Rose was with…He didn't even want to consider what might be happening to her.

"The only thing is I don't know how he got her out," Grant continued.

"What's that?" the Doctor asked, brought out of his tormenting thoughts about just what Rose might be going through.

"He didn't take her up the lift and that's the only way in or out of the compound."

Another thought struck the Doctor. One that told him how they might've gotten out and began to cement the idea that Rose's captor was indeed the Valeyard. He glanced around the room at the security monitors and then eyed Grant.

"You have security cameras in all the rooms?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Then you have footage of Dr. Chambers?"

"Yes, but I can't see-"

"Run the last hour before he took her. Just the footage of him," the Doctor ordered.

"The last hour? How is that going to help?" Grant asked, making no move to fulfill the Doctor's demands.

The Time Lord glared at him. He didn't have time to play nice with the Captain. Every second he wasted was another second Rose would have to spend with the…No, he can't be the Valeyard. He just can't be!

"Chambers obviously planned on taking her. I doubt it was a last minute decision, which means whatever steps he put in place to ensure he'd get away with her, he put into place right before he took her. If I can see what he did then maybe I can work out where he took her."

What he actually wanted to do was figure out if he was right about how Chambers took her, but he wasn't going to tell Grant that.

The Captain walked over to the monitors and brought up the feed for the day and time the Doctor requested as Jack and the Time Lord watched.

* * *

Jack wasn't sure what was going on with the Doc. He noticed the shock and fear on the Time Lord's face when Grant said the name Dr. John Chambers. He wasn't sure what was up with that name, but the Doc obviously recognized it, though he wasn't sure how that was possible since they were in a parallel universe.

A moment later the monitors came to life with the feed that the Doc requested. He looked around at the screens and then noticed someone. Someone he hoped to never see again. He was pretty sure his heart stopped. _The Master. _If he had Rosie that was…the worst thing that could ever happen to her with a whole truck load of even worse piled on top.

He looked at the Doc and saw the horror he felt mirrored on the Time Lord's face. How was the Master even there? He was dead. That woman, Lucy, shot him. Jack watched the other Time Lord die in the Doc's arms.

"Doc?" Jack asked, wanting to find out how the Mater could be there, what was going on, and what the other Time Lord would want with Rosie, but he knew he couldn't. Not in front of Grant.

The Doc swallowed. His eyes glued to the screen. Jack turned his attention back to the screens, but he couldn't see the Master in any of them.

"Where did he go?" he asked.

"Oh," Grant said, typing some keys. "Sorry one of the cameras has been acting up. I'll get the feed in a minute."

A few, impatient, minutes later another monitor flickered to life and he saw Rosie standing in what must have been her room. She looked exactly like he remembered when she handed Violet to him. She was even wearing the same hospital gown. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the Doc tense up.

The door opened and the Master stepped inside. He said something and then began searching the room. Rosie glared at him, defiantly and Jack couldn't help the smile that crept over his lips.

"S-sound?" the Doc asked with an unsteady voice. He cleared his throat and then tried again. "Is there any sound?"

"Yes," Grant said, typing keys. "There."

The speakers crackled to life.

"Where is she?" the Master's voice demanded from the speakers.

"Somewhere you'll never find her," Rosie replied and then she smiled.

The Master grabbed her shoulders and shook her. Jack wanted to strangle the other Time Lord and one glance to his right told him that the Doc wanted to do far worse. His mouth was set in a grim line, his eye had gone cold as he glared at the screen, and his hands that were fisted at his sides shook with rage.

"Tell me where she is!" the Master yelled.

"No!"

"If you don't tell me you're going to regret it."

"Kill me if you want. I'm not going to tell you anything!"

"Kill you?" The Master pulled her close, very close and when she started to struggle he tightened his hold on her. Jack watched the Doc vault over anger and go straight to fury. He was pretty sure the Time Lord was considering climbing through the monitor to get to the Master. Of course, that wouldn't have worked, but he looked like he was thinking about it. "Rosie, don't you know how important you are to me?"

_Rosie? _What the hell was he doing calling her that? He narrowed his eyes. He was sure the Master was doing it because he knew that's what Jack called her. The other Time Lord liked to play mind games like that.

* * *

Fury and Rage coursed through the Doctor's veins. After the Time War, no, he amended, after Rose he hadn't wanted to kill anyone. He tried to save the Master countless times. Hell he even tried to save Davros, but none of that mattered. Not anymore. The Master had gone too far this time. He took the one person the Doctor would tear universes apart to save.

A moment later the Master pulled Rose out into the hall and the sound stopped, which was probably for the best. Hearing her voice and knowing the Master had her was enough to drive the Doctor over the edge. He watched them walk down the hall and enter the room that he now stood in.

The Master walked over to the desk of the same young man who sat to the Doctor's right. He bent over and seemed to be looking at the monitor, but what he was seeing would remain a mystery because the camera was positioned in such a way that the monitor wasn't visible.

The Master got upset and the kid looked scared then the other Time Lord was reaching for his sonic. A device the Doctor knew all too well. Then Rose put her hand over the Master's and he…What? He actually stopped what he was doing. She was talking and he was listening intently and the Doctor was trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Then the Master pulled his hand away and drug her out the door and down the hall.

The Doctor's hearts un-clinched. He wasn't sure what was going on with the display between the two of them, but for a moment…He pushed the thoughts aside. Rose would never…especially with him…The Master was making him lose his mind, as well as the fear he felt for her, for what she might be going through.

The Master pulled her into a room and up to a wardrobe. When he pulled out the key the Doctor knew that it wasn't merely a wardrobe as it appeared to be. _How did he get a TARDIS? _The last time he saw the Master was when he stepped into the…Wait! How the hell was he even here? How had he gotten out of the time lock? He should be dead! He should've burned with Gallifrey!

He studied the Master's appearance more intently. He was wearing a suit, but he had the same face he'd had after regenerating into the man who would take the name Harold Saxton and the same blonde hair he had after his resurrection that went wrong, but he didn't appear to be suffering the side effects that plagued him after Lucy sabotaged his resurrection. A moment later the Master disappeared into his TARDIS, taking Rose with him.

When the wardrobe vanished he heard Jack gasp. He glanced at the man noting the stunned look that transformed into one of horrified understanding as he realized what the wardrobe really was.

"Thank you, Captain Grant," the Doctor said, turning to the uniformed man. "I think we've learned all we can. I should give her my re-"

He was turning to leave, but the Captain stepped in front of him with a gun pointed at the Doctor.

"Did you really think you could fool me?" Grant asked.

The Doctor decided to bite back the response that, yes, he really did.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, instead, feigning ignorance.

"I thought I recognized him in the parking garage," Grant motioned toward Jack with the gun, "...but I couldn't place him until you asked me to bring up the security feed then I realized where I'd seen him. In the girl's room. You see, the camera works perfectly, but of course I couldn't let you know that. I saw you appear in her room and then vanish after she gave you her baby. So, tell me who the hell are you two?"

* * *

Standard Disclaimer.

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome. :)


	33. Bars and Escapes

Okay guys...and gals...just a few more chapters to go and then I've got to figure out what to write next. Not that I'm getting ahead of myself, but yeah, I am. So far I've had a few Rose/Master suggestions. If you want to second that or have your own suggestions let me know.

* * *

"Really? Guns, Jack?" the Doc snapped as they raced down the hall. He really hoped the Time Lord knew where he was going because this place all looked the same to Jack.

"I didn't hear you complaining when we were shooting our way out of that room," he retorted.

"You probably couldn't hear anything over all the shouting and noise."

"They're both set to stun. I made sure of that before I got in the TARDIS."

"At least that's something."

"You're one to talk," Jack said. "Since when did your sonic have a setting to disarm?"

They reached the lift. The Doc pressed the button and then they both turned around. Jack brandishing two blasters while the Doc held his sonic at the ready.

"Since the Weeping Angels, but really, it was probably River who made me want to add it. Having someone who carries a gun popping in and out of my time stream made me want to make sure I could disarm her if I needed to, but that's before I knew who she was."

There was that name again. River. The Doc never did explain who she was. His friends' child wasn't really an explanation and now he was talking about her popping in and out of his time stream?

"Who is River?"

"Was. She died," the Doc sighed and Jack suddenly regretted asking. Neither of them liked to talk about the people they lost. "She was my wife."

"WHAT?"

But there was no time to question him further as three soldiers rounded the corner on their left and ran toward them. Jack shot them before the Doc could hold down the button on his sonic. Then he turned on the Time Lord.

"Your wife?" he snapped.

"Yes, Jack, my wife."

"Wait…you said she was…had time energy in her DNA."

"She was a Time Lady, well, part Time Lady, at least she was until she used her remaining regenerations to save me."

"Save you?"

"I was dying. She poisoned me and the poison kept me from regenerating."

"So, wait, she poisoned you, you were dying, she saved you and you married her?" Jack laughed. "I thought I picked some winners, but wow, you really take the cake, Doc."

Two more soldiers ran toward them. The Doc disarmed them with his sonic then Jack stunned them.

"It wasn't like that Jack. It was…complicated."

"Complicated. That's your word for everything. You couldn't let Rose know how you felt because it was complicated. You had to leave the meta-crisis with her because it was complicated. Do you ever do anything that isn't complicated?"

At that moment the doors to the lift slid open. They both stepped inside, but not before another group of soldiers rounded the corner at the end of the hall and started firing. Jack positioned himself in front of the Doc. He felt the bullets pierce his back before the doors slid shut.

* * *

The Master turned around as the TARDIS materialized. He stepped over to Rose and un-cuffed her hand. She rubbed her sore wrist.

"Ready?" he asked, cheerfully.

"For what?" she snapped.

"To find someone to kill."

She didn't answer, but her stomach tightened. He was going to make her kill someone and if she didn't do it he'd destroy a town full of people. She couldn't do it. She knew she couldn't.

When she made no move to stand up he grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet then leaned toward he face. She turned her head away, but he grabbed her chin with his other hand and forced her to look into his eyes.

"You're not thinking of defying me again are you?" he asked.

No, she was thinking about killing him. Tossing him into the Void. Screaming into his mind until he was nothing more than a blubbering mass on the floor.

"No," she said.

"Good, girl."

He smiled, stroking her cheek and it was all she could do not to knee him in the…not that she actually wanted to touch any part of him, but that thought almost brought a smile to her lips.

"Let's just get this over with," she said.

He released her and she followed him to the door and then out into the cool night air. It looked like Earth until she saw the twin moons. One full the other more of a Cheshire smile. She wondered where they were as he led her down the street.

* * *

The doors to the lift opened. The Doctor grabbed Jack under his shoulders and began dragging him into the underground parking garage. He sat Jack down, pulled out his sonic and disabled the lift before returning to the task of pulling Jack toward the TARDIS. After the impossible man returned from the dead he needed to have a serious talk with Jack about his weight. If he was going to keep dying and coming back then he needed to make it easier on anyone who might have to drag him to safety.

He opened the TARDIS doors and then dragged Jack inside. Once the door was shut he raced over to the console and started working on locating the Master's TARDIS. It should be the only other one in that universe, which should make it easy to locate. Well, not exactly easy, but easier than it would've been if there were other Time Lords flying around out there.

He tried not to let his mind wander to what might be happening to Rose. Why the Master would want her, well, he knew why. To get back at him. The Master knew how he felt about Rose. He must have been giddy with pleasure when he found her. The woman the Doctor loved, only she wasn't merely a woman. Rose Tyler was everything to him and if he lost her…No, the Master wouldn't kill her. That would be too easy.

Did he know what she was? That she wasn't human anymore? The Doctor hoped not because if he did…It was best not to think about that.

* * *

Rose followed the Master through the door of a building. The stale smell of smoke assaulted her as she stepped into the crowded room filled with the murmur of voices. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her through the crowed. The crowd was a mixture of humans and aliens. She passed two blokes that resembled human-cacti with green skin and nearly bumped into a guy? Girl? She couldn't tell because he…she looked a lot like a fish with a tube of green fluid attached to his…her face.

The Master stopped at the bar and sat down on one of the stools and motioned for her to do the same. She sat down and eyed the bartender who seemed to be some kind of human-cyborg. He glanced at her with his one human eye, a piercing blue. His other eye was more of a red light than an actual eye.

"What are we supposed to do in a bar?" she asked.

"You know why we're here, Rosie," he replied then nodded to the bartender. "I'll take a bourbon and she'll have…" He looked her over. "…some wine. Red preferably."

"We don't have bourbon or wine," the bartender replied in a gravelly voice.

"What do you have?"

"Ale and whisky."

"Fine. I'll take some whisky and she'll have-"

"Water," Rose said, eyeing the Master. "I'll have water."

There was no way she was going to let her guard down and drinking would do just that. She wasn't about to give him more of an upper hand than he already had.

"Suit yourself," the Master said with a shrug.

He turned around and gazed over the crowd. She knew what he was doing and it made her stomach churn. How long would it take him to find someone? And when she couldn't kill them what would he do? Would he really destroy the city? She glanced at him. Yes, she believed he would. Maybe she could change his mind or at least put it off, although that was just putting on the inevitable, but still she wouldn't have to do it now.

"So, what are you going to do?" she asked. "Find someone and then what?"

"And then your practice begins," he replied.

"Meaning I use my abilities to kill them…and then what? We run for our lives and hope we make it out of here because I'm sure someone will figure it out."

He turned his stool so he was facing her and gave her a smile.

"If I didn't know better I'd think you were trying to talk me out of this, but we both know that's not going to happen."

"I'm just saying if running for my life is part of the plan I'd like to know ahead of time."

He stared at her for a minute as if trying to decide if he believed her or not.

"First of all most people are generally stupid. You give them way too much credit. Second I wasn't planning on having you practice in here. We'll find somewhere less crowded and more out of the way." He leaned close to her and when she shrank away he grabbed her arm and pulled her close. "But don't you worry your pretty little head about that. I'll take care of all the details. I'll always take care of you, Rosie," his hot breath brushed her cheek, making her skin crawl, "forever, remember?" He paused for a moment and she wished he'd just let her go. "You just worry about killing them."

"Get your hands off of her," a man to her right said, making her jump.

She turned and noticed a man who appeared to be in his mid-twenties standing near her. His black hair was cut short and his hazel eyes were narrowed at the Master. She glanced at the Time Lord restraining her and watched his lips part in a wide smile. She had to get her would-be rescuer out of there before he became her first victim.

"It-it's fine," she said, turning back to the man. "I'm fine, really."

"I'm sorry miss, but I really don't think you're fine at all," he said, giving her a soft glance before locking eyes with the Master again.

"You heard the lady, now piss off," the Master snapped.

"I'm not going anywhere until you take your hands off her or would you rather I made you do it?"

The Master laughed, making Rose's stomach drop. He tightened his hold on her arm, but she forced herself not to show the discomfort she felt.

"You really think you can make me? Me?"

"I'm sure I can."

The bloke took a step closer. The Master stood up. Rose stared from one to the other. She had to stop this before it escalated. She knew she was throwing away a chance to run, a chance to get away, but she couldn't let the Master kill him. He was trying to help her and she wouldn't let him die as a reward. She stood up and put herself between them, facing her rescuer.

"It's really none of your business so why don't you just sod off?" she snapped. She felt the Master release her arm.

The man looked stricken, making her feel bad, but it was the only way to get him away from the Master. As he walked away she sat back down.

"That was smooth," the Time Lord mused. "You might've saved him, but don't worry I'll find someone else. Now be a good girl and sit here while I go…mingle."

He gave her a glance before disappearing into the crowd. She watched him for a few minutes, until he vanished completely and then she took her chance. After asking the bartender where the bathrooms were she made her way in that direction hoping the window was big enough for her to squeeze through.

* * *

Standard Disclaimer.

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome. :)


	34. Rescue and Capture

Jack opened his eyes and sat up abruptly, trying to remember where he was. _The TARDIS. _He looked around at the metal walls, but…wait…he wasn't on the TARDIS when…He was shot. He and the Doc were trying to get out of the compound. Shooting their way out of the compound. The lift doors opened and then soldiers were firing at them. He jumped in front of the Doc and…that was it.

The Doc must have brought him back to the TARDIS. He looked toward the console. The Doc was staring at the monitor. Jack stood up and crossed the room.

"Finally decided to join me?" the Doc asked, smiling.

"What're you doing?" Jack inquired.

"Trying to locate the Master's TARDIS."

"About that. How did he even get a TARDIS? Actually, no, how is he even alive? He died. I was there."

The Doc had seemed surprised to see him, but not as astounded as Jack was which meant he had to know something about it.

"He was resurrected."

_Wait. What? _Jack almost laughed…almost.

"Resurrected? Is that even possible? Well, obvious that, but when? And who would be stupid enough to bring him back from the dead?"

"A few people loyal to him. Lucy tried to stop it, only it didn't work, well, not the way she intended."

"Lucy…his wife, right? The woman who shot him?"

Jack tried to remember what happened to her after everything was over, but he hadn't been paying attention to that. He recalled that the authorities showed up, which was when he made a beeline to get out of there while the getting was good. The last thing he needed was to get caught up in that mess.

"Exactly."

He was resurrected, but that still didn't tell Jack what the Master was doing in the parallel universe with Rose.

"So, what happened? How did he wind up here?"

"I have no idea how he got here. The last time I saw him he was stepping into the time lock fighting Rassilon."

"Wait. What? Who the hell is Rassilon?"

"Rassilon was the leader of the Time Lords, the first Lord President. He died, or at least, most of us believed he was dead, but he was brought back for the Time War. To lead the Time Lords."

"So, you guys can not only regenerate, you can come back from the dead?"

"It's more complicated than that, Jack."

"Yeah, there's that word again. Anyway how did you find Rassilon and what's a time lock?"

The Doc sighed, turning around and leaning against the console while folding his arms.

"It's a long story, but to sum it up…The Master had been tormented since childhood, since he looked into the Untempered Schism, by the sound of drums, four beats, every second of every day his whole life."

"No wonder he was mad."

The Doc got that far off look that told Jack he was remembering, probably something he'd rather forget.

"The drumbeat was put there by Rassilon to try to find a way to survive the Time War. He sent a White-Point-Star diamond to Earth. The Master used it to allow the Time Lords to escape the time lock that I created to seal the Time War to keep all of reality safe. Not only our universe, but all universes.

Only the Time Lords weren't the only ones to escape. Everything was coming. Gallifrey, the Daleks, the Skaro Degradations, the Horde of Travesties, the Nightmare Child, and the Could've Been King with his army of Meanwhiles and Neverweres. The war in the last days when it turned to hell."

Jack hadn't even heard of most of those creatures, but if the Daleks were any indication of what the others were like he was glad he didn't know. With everything they'd both seen he shuddered to think what the Doc would consider hell.

"What happened?" Jack asked.

"Rassilon revealed what he planned to do, the reason I used the Moment to destroy them, because I couldn't let him do it."

Jack wondered what the Moment was, but decided to put the question aside. He could tell this was hard enough for the Doc to talk about. He didn't want to push the Time Lord further.

"Couldn't let him do what?"

"He was going to initiate the Ultimate Sanction. The Time Lords would ascend to a state where they didn't need their physical bodies and at the same time, time itself would be destroyed and everyone else along with it.

I destroyed the connection sending Rassilon, the rest of the Time Lords, and everything else that was coming back, into the hell of the Time War. He would've killed me if the Master hadn't attacked him. I'm still not sure if he saved me because of what Rassilon did to him or if there was some scrap of humanity that still existed inside of him."

Jack thought back to his time with the Master.

"I spent a year being tortured by him, remember? I don't think he has any humanity."

The Doc unfolded his arms and leaned them back against the console, looking at the floor as if he could see something that no one else could.

"Yeah, you're probably right, but I wanted to believe it was possible."

"I hope you don't expect me to show him any mercy, Doc."

The Doc looked at Jack. His eyes grew cold.

"No, Jack, not this time. The man who tried to save the Master died. I'm not the same anymore, haven't been in a long time."

A strange noise came from the monitor, drawing Jack's attention. The Doc turned around and examined the monitor. He smiled.

"What is it?" Jack asked.

"Found the Master's TARDIS," the Doc said, flipping a lever.

The time rotor began to move and a moment later the TARDIS launched into the Time Vortex.

* * *

Rose ran down the hall, but she found the first two doors locked. She breathed a sigh of relief when the last door opened and she raced inside, shutting the door behind her. She found herself in an office. She glanced around the room, trying to find a way out. _A window! _It was behind a large desk. If she stood on the chair she could reach it. Quickly, she ran across the room, grabbed the chair and pulled it up to the window, but before she could stand on it the office door opened.

Her heartbeat kick started, but she pushed her fear down as she climbed on the chair and grabbed the window, intent on opening it. She didn't turn around. She didn't have to. She could almost feel him step in the room.

"Stop!" the Master shouted and a moment later she felt him grab her and pull her off the chair.

"Let me go!" she yelled, kicking and hitting him, anything to get him to release her, but his grip was vise-like as he held her waist, pinning her against him as they tumbled around the floor.

"Stop fighting me," he growled.

"Never," she shot back, defiantly, before slamming her head back into his, which turned out to be a pretty bad idea as little spots of light danced in front of her eyes. She tried to ignore them as she crawled across the floor, but a moment later he grabbed her feet and pulled her back to him. She kicked and managed to strike him under the chin, making him yell in pain. She smiled as she scrambled back and got to her feet.

A man she recognized as her would-be rescuer raced through the door, glancing from the Master to her.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

"Ah, look, Rosie, it's your white knight," the Master scoffed as he stood up.

The man pulled something that resembled a blaster from his waist, aimed it at the Master whose eyes widened in surprise, then fired it. The blast struck the Time Lord and he crumbled to the floor.

"Come on," the man said, motioning to Rose who stood half-way between the two of them.

She glanced at the Master wondering if he was dead, not that she would feel sorry if he was, but it made her wonder about a man who would just walk in and kill someone else.

"I stunned him. He's not dead," the man said, as if he could hear Rose's thoughts, "but we need to get out of here before he wakes up."

That was all the motivation she needed. She crossed the room and allowed him to take her hand and lead her out of the room and through the crowded bar. Once outside and away from the noise she turned to him.

"Thank you," she said.

"You seemed like you were in trouble. I'm only glad I could help. I have a ship over there," he pointed off to their right. "You'll be safe there."

She knew he was trying to help, but she needed to get back to the Master's TARDIS. It was the only way she'd get back home. Her rescuer might have a ship, but it wasn't a time machine and she was pretty sure she wasn't in her proper time.

"'S okay, I have my own…ship, but I really appreciate your help."

"I was hoping you'd agree to come with me. It would've made things a whole lot easier."

He pulled out the blaster.

"What're you-" but she was cut off as an electric jolt hit her stomach and a moment later everything went black.

* * *

Jack followed the Doc out of the TARDIS. They were in an alley. Why did the Time Lord land them in an alley? He didn't have time to muse further because the Doc walked out of the alley and disappeared to the left. Jack raced after him.

As he caught up the Doc and fell into step beside him Jack looked around. It seemed to be Earth. 22nd, maybe 23rd century, but the twin moons hanging in the night sky told a different story.

The Doc said the Master's TARDIS was there, but as he looked around he didn't see anything that resembled the Doc's TARDIS. He heard the familiar warble and glanced at the Doc who was holding his sonic out and seemed to be scanning the area.

"What're you doing?" Jack asked.

"Trying to find…There it is," the Doc exclaimed, running up to…well, nothing. "Cloaked."

The Doc grabbed something Jack couldn't see and a moment later whatever it was swung open to reveal a hidden room. He followed the Time Lord inside and realized it wasn't just a room. It was the control room of a TARDIS. The Master's TARDIS.

It looked, well, pretty similar to the Doc's control room, but Jack decided not to voice that. The TARDIS appeared to be empty. Where was the Master and more importantly, where was Rosie?

"It doesn't look like they're here," Jack said.

"No, but they have to come back," the Doc said.

"So…we wait?"

He'd rather hunt down the Master. He was worried about what the other Time Lord might be doing to Rosie. What she was probably going through, but he didn't know where to start looking and they very likely could return to the TARDIS and leave before he had a chance to find them.

"Unless you happen to know where they are, then, yes, we wait." The Doc crossed the room and started down the stairs that led to under the floor. "Down here."

Jack still didn't like the idea of waiting, but without another choice he followed the Doc down the stairs. He pulled the blasters out and waited. The first chance he got he was going to take the Master out. He just hoped the Doc didn't try to stop him. He'd hate to stun his friend, but he'd do it if it came down to that.

* * *

Standard Disclaimer.

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! If anyone has time reviews are always welcome. :)


	35. Find Her

I super apologize for the enormously long wait between chapters. I had to travel for work and didn't realize there would be little to no internet access in the area, but I'm back so I'll get the rest of the chapters up asap. :)

* * *

The Master opened his eyes. He was lying on the floor in an office. _Rose! _He sat up quickly and looked around the room. _Gone. _Her rescuer must have succeeded. Oh, he would find her, find her and then…Wait. He saw something…something…earlier. When they first arrived at the bar. There was…He went through his memories.

They arrived at the bar. He pulled her through the crowd toward the counter. He heard the murmur of voices, people chatting, music playing, and…and as he wove his way through the room there was…another noise. A beep, low, almost unnoticeable, but it was there. He glanced to his left and…her rescuer. He stood not more than a foot back and in his hand he held…something small, handheld…a scanner. He was scanning the room, but for what?

The Master hadn't paid attention, hadn't noticed. He was too focused on finding someone for Rose to practice on. He sat down at the bar with her, but when he turned around to look over the crowd. He saw…he saw…the man, he was there to the Master's right, standing behind a few people, blending in, but the Time Lord could see him now. He held the scanner and was pointing it at Rose. What the hell was he doing scanning her?

He wasn't trying to rescue her. He was trying to capture her and he succeeded. Why did he want her? But he knew the answer to that. Something came up on his scanner. The time energy? Possibly. Something came up on that bloke's scanner telling him she was different…special…unique. Why hadn't he gone after the Master? He probably chose Rose because he thought she'd be an easier target, which she was, well, at least until she found out what he was doing, but then he might be prepared for that, depending on what he wanted her for.

No, the Master had to find out who he was and what he could possibly want with her. The Time Lord had to find her. Had to save her because…because he needed her to…kill the Doctor. Yes, that's why he needed to save her.

He remembered seeing her rescuer talk to another bloke. He had to find that man and get answers. One way or the other he would find out who her rescuer was, track him down, kill him, and take back what was his.

* * *

Rose opened her eyes. She was lying on a hard, metal floor. She groaned. Her head was throbbing. Slowly she sat up. _Bars. _She was in a…she looked around…cage? What the hell was she doing in a cage?

Then she remembered. Her rescuer, who turned out to have other motives. He wasn't trying to help her, he was trying to capture and he'd done just that. What was he planning on doing with her?

He might've caught her off-guard by stunning her, but as soon as he made an appearance she'd show him that she was capable of defending herself.

"Awake already?" a man asked and a moment later her rescuer, who was actually her captor, stepped in front of the cage.

"Who the hell are you?" she snapped.

"My name's Cavin, not that that's important. You won't be with me for very long."

"You're right about that."

She reached out with her mind, sending a scream to tear through his head, but he just stood there. Unaffected. She tried again and again failed. _What the hell?_

"You look very…focused. Not trying to use some sort of telepathy are you?" Her eyes widened. How could he know? "You really don't think you're the first telepathic creature I've captured, do you?"

He'd captured other people? What did he do with them? What were his plans with her? She was in trouble. Real trouble.

"What are you going to do with me?"

"First, I'm going to find out what you are and then I'm going to sell you." Fear trickled down her spine. "When I followed that bloke into the bar to acquire the Eye of Doran, a power source he stole from one of my…clients…I lost him in the crowd. So, I scanned the room to locate the power source and in turn locate the Eye, but I must say I was surprised when my scanner detected readings that, well, defied logic. A power source to rival a star. When I traced the power to you I thought you must be carrying it, but when I scanned you I found that you weren't carrying the power source, you are the power source. So," he leaned on the cage, "what are you?"

"I'm just a girl. A human girl."

He laughed.

"Human? No, you're definitely not human, but it's no matter. I'll find out…very soon."

"Not bloody-" But that's all she got out as he pulled his blaster and shot her.

* * *

The Master pulled his sonic out and changed the setting from kill to torture as he followed the man Rose's rescuer had talked to down the dark street. He needed answers so he couldn't kill the bloke…yet.

The man turned down an alley and the Master trailed him. He aimed his sonic and was about to fire when the bloke spun around, a blaster in his hand. The Master pressed the button on his sonic before the man could fire and the bloke screamed, dropping his blaster to the ground. The Time Lord held the button down on his sonic as he closed the distance between them and then kicked the blaster away. He released the button and the man gasped.

"Who…who are you and why…the hell are you following me?" the man asked.

"Now, this is how things are going to work," the Master instructed. "I'm going to ask the questions. You're going to answer and if you're very lucky I'll let you live." The Master pushed the button on his sonic, making the man scream before releasing him. "Do you understand?" The man nodded. "Good. Now, who was the bloke you were talking to in the bar? The one who was scanning the area?"

"His…his name's Cavin."

"And what does Cavin do?" The man just stared at him so the Master gave him another taste of torture. The bloke panted when he was released. "Do I need to repeat the question?"

"He…he acquires things."

"Acquires things?"

"He has…clients and they hire him to find things. Something that was stolen from them or something they need."

"What was he looking for in the bar?"

"I…I don't know."

The Master could tell he was lying. He needed a lesson on that. The Time Lord pressed the button on his sonic and held it down for a bit longer than before. The man dropped to his knees in pain. He started talking as soon as he was released.

"He…was looking for…a power source…I don't know exactly what…it was, but he said it…it was worth a lot of money that's why…I…I agreed to help him."

_A power source? _The Master's hearts tightened in fear. Cavin had been scanning the bar for a power source. _Rose! The time energy! _It must have come up on his scanner and…Oh, that was really bad. It would've come up much stronger than anything he'd ever detected and someone like Cavin…he'd sell her as soon as he figured out what she was, probably even if he didn't know if he could find someone that would buy her and anyone with an inkling of what she was…this was really bad. The Master had to find her before it was too late.

He switched the setting on his sonic and pointed it at the man.

"What're you-"

He fired the sonic killing the man before he could finish his question. Then he turned and raced back to his TARDIS. If she was still on the planet he should be able to find her.

* * *

The Doctor tried to ignore Jack's impatient shifting, but it was beginning to grate on his already frayed nerves. Yes, he'd like to be looking for Rose instead of crouching near the stairs waiting for the Master to bring her back to the TARDIS. He had no idea why the other Time Lord stopped on that planet or what he could be doing with her out there, but he knew the Mater wouldn't leave her anywhere. He wanted revenge against the Doctor and dropping her off somewhere wouldn't give him that. Neither would killing her, but what he planned to do with her the Doctor couldn't think about. It would drive him over the edge of madness and he had to keep his wits about him.

The TARDIS doors opened then closed. He heard footsteps and hand to put a hand on Jack's chest to keep him from running up the stairs. The impossible man pulled both blasters out and glared at the Doctor, motioning toward the stairs with his head, but the Time Lord shook his head and motioned for Jack to stay put. He was waiting, hoping the Master would send Rose out of the control room. He didn't want her in the line of fire or to be an easy shield for the other Time Lord.

As he listened he realized that there was only one set of footsteps. Could it be Rose? Could she have gotten away from the Master? The steps were hurried. Maybe. He motioned with his head to Jack and ran up the stairs with his sonic out.

He made it almost to the top of the stairs before he spied the other Time Lord at the console. The noise drew the Master's attention.

"Doctor," the Master said in surprise.

He reached for his sonic.

"Don't move," Jack commanded, training both blasters on the other Time Lord.

"Where is she?" the Doctor demanded.

He was sure the Master would keep Rose with him. Everything was riding on that fact and now…where the hell was she? Did he leave her somewhere? Did he…No, he wouldn't have killed her…he couldn't have…if he did…Time Lord or not the Doctor would kill him.

"She?" the Master asked as if he had no idea who the Doctor was referring to.

"You bloody well know who I'm talking about!"

"Temper, temper…I like the new look by the way…very…college professor. Well, except the face…if you keep getting younger-"

"Tell me what the hell you did with her!" the Doctor demanded, cutting him off.

"Or what?"

"Or you're a dead man," Jack said in a low, even voice.

The Master glanced at Jack as if he forgot the other man was in the room. His eyes fell on the blasters, but he didn't betray any sign of fear, instead, he smiled.

"Jack. Haven't seen you since the last time I died. You've put on a few years I see. So, how's that whole immortal thing working out for you?" the Master sneered.

"Tell us what you did with Rosie or so help me…" Jack growled, so angry he couldn't even finish the sentence. He motioned with the blasters for emphasis.

"If you must know she was taken."

"Yeah, like we're going to believe that. Tell us what the hell you did with her."

"I didn't do anything. She really was taken. I was going to use the TARDIS to find her until you so rudely interrupted me."

"Taken?" the Doctor asked. "By who?"

"By a trader."

Fear lanced through the Doctor's hearts. If a trader had Rose and he had any idea of what she was…

"Find her," he demanded.

"Doc," Jack protested.

"A trader will sell her," the Doctor explained while he crossed the room to the console.

He heard Jack follow.

"Fine, but I'm not taking my eyes off him," Jack said, motioning to the Master.

The Doctor, also, kept his eyes on the Master. He didn't trust the other Time Lord, but they needed to find Rose before that trader sold her, but as soon as she was safe he'd deal with the other Time Lord. He wasn't entirely sure what he was going to do, but he knew as long as the Master was free he'd be a threat to Rose and the Doctor wouldn't have that.

* * *

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! As always if you have time reviews are always welcome. :)


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